The Vikings’ Top 5 Trade Candidates as Cuts Appear on the Horizon
Credit score: Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
Very quickly, the Vikings’ 91-man roster might want to shrink all the way down to 53. It’s a painful course of. The sting will get lessened by welcoming 16 gamers to the follow squad, however the general course of remains to be one which’s replete with issue.
One thing that makes the time of the yr a contact simpler is trades.
In consecutive lower down intervals, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has traded. Again in 2022, Adofo-Mensah shipped out Jesse Davis, a veteran guard who wasn’t going to begin since Ed Ingram had confirmed sufficient to be elevated to the RG1 spot. In 2023, Vederian Lowe received moved out since the latest draftee wasn’t going to make the ultimate roster. Does the sample maintain? Will Adofo-Mensah commerce somebody out for draft capital?
Observe: PurplePTSD revealed a earlier model of this piece, highlighting 5 trades candidates main into camp. A kind of gamers, Andrew Sales space Jr., was traded.
The Vikings’ Top 5 Trade Candidates
Trade Candidate #5 — Dalton Risner, Guard
Nov 5, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Minnesota Vikings huge receiver Brandon Powell (4) celebrates after a landing with guard Dalton Risner (66) in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports activities
Straightforward to neglect about him, proper? He has principally been an afterthought after a lot jubilation about his return. Would he get traded?
The 6’5″, 312-pound lineman performed 746 snaps for Minnesota’s offense. Alongside the means, Risner dedicated a trio of penalties. Nevertheless, he didn’t enable a single sack, a testomony to his go blocking and an effort that doesn’t cease till the whistle. Genuinely, Risner performs with nice vitality, ending off the play on an every-down foundation.
He did, nonetheless, get dinged with permitting 11 hits and 30 pressures. So, not an ideal report card inside Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
The tepid contract dedication alongside a few of the broader context means that Risner’s spot isn’t an ironclad certainty. Seeing so little of him throughout the preseason hasn’t helped his possibilities.
A commerce would clear $1,910,000 in cap area.
Trade Candidate #4 — Ed Ingram, Proper Guard
Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws a landing go whereas being rushed by Inexperienced Bay Packers defensive finish Dean Lowry (94) as guard Ed Ingram (67) blocks throughout the second quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports activities
The beginning offensive line received the night time off in the Cleveland sport. Besides, in fact, for Ed Ingram.
Picked in the 2nd Spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft, Ingram confronted some excessive expectations. The faculty left guard received kicked over to proper guard and struggled in a significant means as a rookie. His sophomore season did go higher, however nobody is mistaking him for Quenton Nelson. At finest, he has been common. At worst, he has been very dangerous.
Ed Ingram PFF grades this preseason
vs. LV: 57.2 grade, 17.1 go blocking
at CLE: 39.2 grade, 23.3 go blockingVikings might have Dalton Risner to get wholesome…
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 18, 2024
One wonders if there’s a state of affairs the place the Vikings roll with Risner, Blake Brandel, Michael Jurgens, and Dan Feeney as their inside linemen. Slicing Ingram appears fairly unlikely, however a commerce is feasible. Some groups on the market would see potential in the LSU alumnus, particularly one which has a shaky left guard spot.
Buying and selling the third-year participant would clear $1,250,270.
Trade Candidate #3 — Lewis Cine, Security
Aug 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings security Lewis Cine (6) traces up throughout the second quarter in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports activities
The previous couple of seasons have gone very poorly for Lewis Cine. Sure, there’s expertise. Sure, there’s a want to sort out and to be bodily. However even with these issues being true, the alternative simply hasn’t been there and the leg harm can solely clarify a lot.
In 2023, Cine was on the area for 8 snaps and inactive for 10 video games. When inactives outnumber snaps, it’s a foul signal. The Vikings have a pair extra seasons left on Cine’s deal however would seemingly welcome the alternative to ship him out if there was a commerce associate. The security is 24.
In equity, the most up-to-date proof factors towards promise. His sport in opposition to the Browns was wonderful, leading to an INT, a sack, and quite a few tackles. He was energetic all sport, showing decisive and bodily, the exact attributes Minnesota was signing up for when sinking No. 32 into him again in 2022. Will that promise be sufficient to maintain him round?
A commerce clears almost $1,749,924 million in cap area.
Trade Candidate #2 — Fabian Moreau, Nook
Nov 13, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Payments working again James Prepare dinner (4) prepares to be tackled by Denver Broncos security Delarrin Turner-Yell (32) and cornerback Fabian Moreau (23) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports activities
Including Stephon Gilmore modifications issues.
Minnesota is now working with a clear-cut high trio of Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, and Shaq Griffin. Now toss in the indisputable fact that Akayleb Evans isn’t going wherever. The place does that depart issues in the nook competitors? In any case, Dwight McGlothern has been having a formidable offseason, so Minnesota’s management appears more likely to preserve him round and proceed creating him on the energetic roster.
Moreau has fairly good dimension at 6’0″ and 204 kilos. He’s a contact older — 30 — however is coming off of a season the place he began 11 video games whereas enjoying in 16. For his efforts, Moreau picked up 46 tackles to face alongside 1 interception, 7 passes defended, and 1 sort out for loss.
Buying and selling the veteran nook would toss $1,233,529 million again into the funds.
Trade Candidate #1 — Patrick Jones II, Edge Rusher
Oct 8, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a go as Minnesota Vikings linebacker Pat Jones II (91) defends throughout the second quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports activities
The 25-year-old edge rusher faces an uphill battle. Drafted by the former regime, Patrick Jones II is at finest the fourth possibility however might have a troublesome time making the roster even when there are 5 or 6 guys saved round. Final season, Jones performed in all seventeen video games whereas beginning 4 however solely had a single sack.
The upside for an buying crew is that he’s younger, low cost, and has NFL dimension at 6’4″, 264. In 2021, the Vikings scooped him up at ninetieth general. Minnesota wasn’t the solely crew to suppose that he was worthy of being a mid-round choice. Does a kind of groups nonetheless have some perception in him? He had 4 sacks and eight TFLs as a backup in 2022.
Standing in his means are Jihad Ward, Gabriel Murphy, Bo Richter, and Andre Carter. The high trio of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner aren’t going wherever, so it’s that different cluster (the depth guys) that presents the best problem to Mr. Jones. Does Adofo-Mensah want the gamers he onboarded as a substitute of the Spielman choose?
Buying and selling Jones would imply clearing $1,324,104.
Honorable Mentions: Jaquelin Roy, Defensive Deal with; Jay Ward, Defensive Again; DeWayne McBride, Operating Again; Jonah Williams, Defensive Deal with; Jihad Ward, Edge Rusher; Nahshon Wright, Nook.
Editor’s Observe: Data from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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Okay. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been masking the Vikings full time since the summer time of 2021. He may be discovered on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.