The Indianapolis Colts no longer have a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft after acquiring defensive tackle DeForest Buckner but should they want to get back into Day 1 of the big event, they may have a potential trade suitor in the Minnesota Vikings.
The Colts hold plenty of ammo if they feel the need to get back into the first round of the draft. Equipped with the Nos. 34 and 44 picks, trading up into the first round would be relatively easy if Chris Ballard felt the need. The Vikings might just be the perfect target if they want to move up.
[lawrence-related id=40698]
In what wound up being a wild day in the NFL, the Vikings capped off Day 1 of the legal tampering period by trading away wide receiver Stefon Diggs in exchange for a slew of draft picks—including the No. 22 overall from the Buffalo Bills.
Now, the Vikings hold the Nos. 22 and 25 picks in April’s draft. This alone makes them a target for teams looking to get back into the first round. The Colts actually have the ammo of making that type of deal.
This is all hypothetical of course. The only reason the Colts might want to trade up into the first round would be to grab a quarterback they feel has fallen too far. And given the fact that they just traded their best opportunity to draft a young quarterback, there is a chance they may not be as high on players like Justin Herbert or Jordan Love as we are.
Maybe they also feel those types of quarterbacks will be gone by the time the No. 13 pick rolls around but even if that were the case, it would be more difficult to trade such a high pick away if they truly valued the prospects they might get at that spot.
That said, Ballard may have also felt that trading for a player of Buckner’s talent was simply too good to pass up. Giving up a mid first-round pick for an elite talent that has already established himself in the league could yield similar results as the No. 13 pick hitting a projected ceiling.
That would also likely mean the Colts are willing to trade back up into the first round—though Ballard is probably feeling a little on the low side when it comes to draft capital right now.
There is still a whole month until the draft gets here but if the Colts want to get back into the first round, they have a potential partner in the Vikings.
[lawrence-related id=40702,40667]