Vikings Links: 7 Days Until The Draft

Should the Vikings trade down in the first round?

We are getting close and trading down in the draft has been debated fairly well. I believe that most folks want to see a trade down while others prefer quality over quantity. I do not know how you can determine quality at pick 24 but if Mason Graham fell to that spot, then maybe they do not trade down. If Will Johnson falls to that spot they may not trade down. If Shadeur Sander falls to 24 then they should run to the podium!

Just kidding. Simply making sure you are paying attention.

Justin Jefferson was pick 22, Christian Darrisaw was pick 23, and Jordan Addison was pick 23. LaQuan Treadwell was also pick 23. What does pick 22 and 23 signify? That you can get a really good player most of the time? Maybe but it really signifies that you keep exiting the playoffs in the first round!

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NFL Trade Charts and Future Discounts

However, given the significantly more overall value of first and second round picks, the Jimmy Johnson chart ends up the closest overall to dead even, at 99%, compared to 102% by the Rich Hill chart.

Both of these charts are very close in value to what we actually see represented in real NFL trades. For the remainder of this analysis, I will be using the Jimmy Johnson trade chart, but if you prefer the Rich Hill chart, it is almost identical in accuracy to the Johnson chart, and is a perfectly reasonable preference.

This article has a really cool tool to calculate trade value.

https://www.jefeshandiwork.com/shiny/trade-calculator/

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The Rationale Behind the Vikings’ Draft-Day Trades With the Lions and Packers

“A lot of times people talk about the chart, and the chart is kind of a guideline,” he said. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t follow the chart, but really, you’re comparing different alternatives. If your alternative is to stay and pick, that is some value, inherent happiness, whatever it is. If you trade, there is some inherent happiness, so if you’re more happy trading back and getting anything than picking the player you would pick, you should do that. It doesn’t really matter what the trade chart says, so I try and view it as a scenario thing, ‘Here are the different scenarios we could be in if we pick this player or not,’ and just compare them and see how we are. There’s mathematical ways to do it, but there’s also common sense and intuition ways of doing it as well.”

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Here is one of our articles about the trade which was well done by Warren (wludford)

https://www.dailynorseman.com/2022/5/2/23049272/kwesi-like-a-fox-assessing-adofo-mensahs-draft-pick-trades

I think that with only four draft picks, Kwesi is not going to be bothered with trade chart values moreso than getting the chance to add another player to the roster. I am fine with that this year too.

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Minnesota Vikings News and Links

To the Vikings: This Is Your Warning about Trading Down in the Draft.

So for Minnesota in next week’s draft, stay put at No. 24 if there is a premier offensive guard, corner, safety or defensive lineman but still take the best player available regardless of position and if he plays guard, corner or safety as the three biggest need positions, then so much the better.

And if there’s an offer to move down three or four spots thus staying in the first round and pick up an extra third and fourth round pick in a deep draft, then do it as long as there are at least three players with close to equal grades waiting in the later spot and there’s not a Pro Bowl caliber player sitting there at No. 24.

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Ex-NFL head coach thinks Vikings are waiting to add ‘Kirk Cousins or Aaron Rodgers’

“Right now the only other quarterback is Brett Rypien on the roster right now. I would imagine they’re going to go and get a backup that they feel could win a bunch of games, should something happen to J.J. McCarthy,” former Jets and Browns head coach Eric Mangini said on FS1’s First Things First.

“That backup probably is going to need to have some level of experience. I would imagine that’s either Kirk Cousins or it’s Aaron Rodgers and they’re going to go let it play out through the spring and then they’ll go find a veteran that they can bring in, and if things go really south they’ve got someone that they can plug and play and actually win a bunch of games.”

When pressed about how crazy it would be for Cousins, and especially Rodgers, to accept a job as McCarthy’s backup, Mangini focused on Cousins.

“[Cousins] might be of the mindset of, ‘This gives me the best chance to be successful.’ And he may come in saying, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to start,’” Mangini continued. “Internally he feels like he can beat out J.J. McCarthy if he goes back. And if he doesn’t, he’s in an environment that’s great and his money is guaranteed anyway.”

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With draft approaching, Vikings’ plan at backup QB remains unclear

It’s now been five weeks since NFL free agency began. The draft is quickly approaching. And the Vikings have patiently waited as all kinds of backup quarterbacks have signed elsewhere. The two latest options to come off the board this past weekend were Joe Flacco (Browns) and Drew Lock (Seahawks).

According to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, the Vikings weren’t in on either player.

“They were not in on Drew Lock, they were not in on Joe Flacco,” Wolfson said on SKOR North. “In fact, Joe Flacco’s representation was trying to get Joe here. He thought it was a very logical fit. He loved the idea, Joe’s representation, of Joe being here. But the Vikings never took the bait. The Vikings never made an offer in the end.”

So what is the Vikings’ plan? We know they’re waiting until after the draft to sign any other free agents of note, so that they don’t mess with the 2026 compensatory pick formula. Carson Wentz is still out there, and he could make sense after spending the last two seasons as a backup for the Chiefs and Rams. Ryan Tannehill, who shares an agent with McCarthy, is the other free agent QB of note (aside from Aaron Rodgers, who we know isn’t viewed as an option for Minnesota).

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2025 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Cornerbacks

2025 NFL Draft Prospects for Vikings: Safeties

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Yore Mock

Trade Partner: Philadelphia Eagles

Sent: Round 1 Pick 24

Received: Round 1 Pick 32, Round 3 Pick 32, Round 5 Pick 26

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Trade Partner: Jacksonville Jaguars

Sent: Round 3 Pick 33

Received: Round 4 Pick 5, Round 5 Pick 4

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Trade Partner: Dallas Cowboys

Sent: Round 5 Pick 4

Received: Round 5 Pick 11, Round 6 Pick 35

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32: R1 P32 DL Walter Nolen – Ole Miss 6’3.6” 296

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96: R3 P32 TE Terrance Ferguson – Oregon 6’5.3” 247

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107: R4 P5 G Dylan Fairchild – Georgia 6’5.2” 318

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139: R5 P1 WR Dont’e Thornton – Tennessee 6’4.5” 205

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149: R5 P11 CB Caleb Ransaw – Tulane 5’11.3” 197

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164: R5 P26 S Malachi Moore – Alabama 5’11.2” 196

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187: R6 P11 RB Jordan James – Oregon 5’9.4” 205

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211: R6 P35 DL Nazir Stackhouse – Georgia 6’3.6” 327

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