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Minnesota Vikings: 5 Big-Name Targets at Trade Deadline

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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If the Minnesota Vikings are going to make a move at the 2016 NFL Trade Deadline, one of these big-name veterans could be the right guy

In case you didn’t know, the 2016 NFL Trade Deadline is nearly upon us. With the final day to deal players/picks set for Tuesday, Nov. 1, many folks believe the Minnesota Vikings could be one of the few teams to make a trade between now and then.

The sole reason for that? The poor play of their offensive line this season.

Minnesota is arguably one of the top Super Bowl contenders this year, but watched some awful blocking keep them from staying undefeated in Week 7. Moving forward, they absolutely need to provide Sam Bradford with better protection if they’re going to keep pace in the race to Houston.

There are a couple of other positions they could afford to address, but we also have to keep in mind they already lost their 2017 first-round pick in the Bradford trade. Luckily, they do have extra third- and fourth-round selections from the Miami Dolphins to work with.

With the trade deadline just around the corner, let’s take a look at a few big names the Vikings could target between now and November 1.

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Cyrus Kouandjio, OT — Buffalo Bills

Realistically, the Vikings will at least test the market for some offensive line help—they have to considering the current situation along the front five. They’ve lost both of their starting tackles, and haven’t gotten any reliable protection from their backups.

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That’s why targeting an offensive tackle at the trade deadline makes too much sense. Minnesota simply can’t afford to continue giving Bradford this type of porous protection.

One mid-range guy who may be a better option than Jake Long or T.J. Clemmings is Cyrus Kouandjio, a solid swing tackle for the Bills. While he may not be the biggest name, he’s a former second-round pick with first-round potential. He’s had a bumpy NFL career up to this point, but could give the Vikings a cheap alternative.

Realistically, which players general manager Rick Spielman targets will depend on what type of pick Minnesota is willing to part with. The Vikings already traded away a first-round pick to get Bradford, but could probably get Kouandjio for a mid- or late-round selection.

Not the most exciting of options, but it could be worse.

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Bryan Bulaga, OT — Green Bay Packers

Okay, I recognize that this is a bit out there. But instead of writing it off, just hear me out.

As we’ve seen this season, the Packers have tons of talent along the offensive line and only so much cap space to go around. They already let Josh Sitton go at the beginning of the season and then re-signed left tackle David Bakhiari.

With 2016 second-round pick Jason Spriggs waiting on the bench, could Green Bay opt to let Bulaga go? Trading him to the Vikings would be crazy, but stranger things have happened in the NFL.

Obviously landing a guy like Bulaga would cost Minnesota a pretty penny. He’s still one of the better right tackles in the league and would be a huge upgrade over Clemmings. Fortunately for the Vikings, they have some extra mid-round picks that could be used to create a solid trade package.

It would be a brazen move by Spielman to call the Packers about a potential Bulaga trade. As we’ve seen in the past, though, he’s not afraid to make the risky move if it’ll help his team win.

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Joe Staley, OT — San Francisco 49ers

Yes, another offensive tackle. That’s how badly the Vikings need help along the offensive front. In this case, though, Minnesota would be getting an outstanding starter at left tackle who’d be a big upgrade over Long. What’s even better is they’d likely only have to part with a third- or fourth-round pick to land Joe Staley.

The 49ers are apparently looking to sell off parts in order to give themselves a brighter future, especially after a 1-6 start. A couple of players have been mentioned as available assets, but none more than Staley.

The 32-year-old Staley isn’t getting any younger and is costing the 49ers way more than they’d like to be paying. They’d love to get him off the books, which could open a door for the Vikings. They’d obviously have to work the cap to make some room for the left tackle. It’d be well worth the effort, though.

Especially with former teammate Alex Boone already in Minnesota, Staley likely wouldn’t mind a trip to the Twin Cities. If the Vikings could get him for a mid-round pick, he’d be an excellent midseason addition.

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Brandon Marshall, WR — New York Jets

Hey, look at that—someone that doesn’t play offensive tackle.

More than likely, the Vikings will address the offensive line if they do end up making a trade at the deadline. However, it’s not completely out of the question for them to make a move for a true star receiver.

We’ve seen more flashes from Stefon Diggs this year, but he’s been banged up. Behind him, the Vikings are relying on a former undrafted free agent and a busted 2013 first-round pick to carry the passing game. Adding a reliable pair of hands like Brandon Marshall to the mix would change things in a hurry, though.

Imagine Bradford having a pass catcher like Marshall to throw to. Not only would that give the Vikings gunslinger a big, strong receiver to toss the ball up to, but he’s more than capable of hurting defenses on quick, short throws that’ll take some pressure off the front five.

Especially with the Jets nearly out of the playoff race, they could be looking to stock up on picks. A third-round selection may just be enough to land the Vikings a true No. 1 receiver.

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Joe Thomas, OT — Cleveland Browns

Similar to Staley’s situation, there have been consistent rumblings of Joe Thomas being on the trade block since the end of the 2015 season. They haven’t stopped, especially with the trade deadline just around the corner.

The Cleveland Browns are clearly a rebuilding team, and Thomas is getting up there in age. Instead of letting him finish out his career on a miserable Cleveland team, they could opt to ship him away for some draft assets.

Head coach Hue Jackson has adamantly denied the team’s eagerness to trade Thomas (via the Browns on Twitter). However, there have been a number of rumors stating Cleveland is looking for at least a second-round pick in return for the future Hall of Famer.

The Vikings have one of those, but may not be willing to part with it since they already traded away their Day 1 selection. They could, however, use those extra mid-round picks to give the Browns more incentive to pull the trigger. A high-upside youngster could also make a deal happen.

If Minnesota is truly invested in winning a Super Bowl, adding a top-tier left tackle like Thomas would be wise.

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