The Minnesota Vikings not only saved their season by winning against the San Francisco 49ers 22-17 on Monday night, but they arguably changed their strategy at the trade deadline.
After a 1-4 start, the Vikings were rumored to trade multiple players, most notably Danielle Hunter. In the last year of his contract, it’s easy to see why the Vikings might be willing to trade him, but they aren’t the kind of team to just sell off parts when they have a chance to make a run.
This season, the Vikings have played better than their record indicates. They are 16th in overall DVOA while being 14th on offense and 15th on defense. That’s a massive improvement over last season and you can see i in the on field product.
The Vikings make an aggressive move last year in acquiring T.J. Hockenson at the trade deadline with the idea of signing him to be a pillar of the Vikings’ future. Could they try that again this season? There are players available that fit the bill, along with others that would be inexpensive one year rentals
The team really has only one area they need is up front on defense. The defensive line is undermanned and the pass rush needs depth with Marcus Davenport being unreliable so far this season.
Even with Hunter on the team, he can’t rush the passer by himself. Getting him a long-term running mate or replacing him long-term needs to be a priority and there are options in the trade market to do just that.
Who could the Vikings target at the trade deadline to bolster their team for the rest of the season and beyond? We identified eight players the Vikings could potentially make a move for.