Currently fighting an uphill battle in the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings have struggled to a 3-3 record this season so far. With Dalvin Cook dealing with injuries and the team looking sluggish at times, the NFL trade deadline comes at a great time that could see Minnesota choose to improve the roster.
There are a decent amount of holes in the Vikings depth chart and inconsistencies in the on-field product, but they have managed to beat the teams that they should and lose to the teams that they should, although making each of their three defeats quite close.
Their three losses came by a margin of three, one, and seven points, respectively, to the Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, and Cleveland Browns, so the Vikings certainly can hold their own against the big teams. But the trade deadline could be exactly what they need to push themselves to that next level and make some noise on their way to the postseason.
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Vikings Trades
Trade for Hayden Hurst
With the offseason departure of Kyle Rudolph and the season-ending injury to Irv Smith Jr., the tight end position for the Vikings was quite barren. Even though Tyler Conklin has become some sort of a Fantasy-relevant option, this team desperately needs a proven, pass-catching option that Kirk Cousins can target.
The recent selection and breakout of Kyle Pitts have made Atlanta Falcon’s Hayden Hurst expendable, to the point where he has no future with the team. After the Falcons declined his $5.4 million option for 2022, the writing was on the wall for Hurst to be heading out of town, and the Vikings are a great landing spot.
His 16 receptions this year, along with his 53.4 snap percentage, paints a clear picture, one that would immediately improve if shipped out. The Vikings would likely only need to pay a fifth or sixth round draft pick for Hurst, which would be a very low price for a player who would slide into a starting role.
Trade for Andrew Norwell
Less of a sexy pick for a trade target for Minnesota, Jacksonville Jaguars' Andrew Norwell is their highest-rated offensive lineman and has been putting on a blocking clinic as the team’s left guard.
Playing on a team that only has one win through six games certainly boosts the likelihood of being traded, and the 30-year-old former Ohio State standout has been a rock in the interior of the Jaguars offensive line for the past four seasons. Nonetheless, being able to add a proven road-grader for Cook to run behind is something that does not come up often, so grabbing Norwell would be a smart move for Minnesota’s front office.
With one year still remaining on his deal, Norwell would be a bit pricier, but sacrificing a fourth round selection for 1.5 seasons of All-Pro level blocking for Cook will only help make the Vikings offense better, something that could go a long way towards saving coach Mike Zimmer’s job.
The NFL trade deadline is not normally a busy time of the year, but this year could see more movements, especially with how some of the divisional standings are. With some teams far and away from the best in their division and other squads already looking forward to the NFL Draft, it will be interesting to see if the trade deadline actually sees some movement.
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