Trade Deadline Target: 3 Vikings Players Who Could…
There are numerous reasons why that makes sense. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could recoup some draft capital. That capital is necessary because the team currently possesses only three picks in the upcoming draft (one third-rounder is expected to be added via the compensatory formula).
Another reason could be to part ways with a player who has landed in the coaching staff’s dog house and needs a fresh start. Of course, the Vikings could also get a haul for one of the top players, but it doesn’t appear that the club will be real sellers at 6-2, so depth players are more sensible. Here are three candidates.
1. Akayleb Evans
The cornerback has missed the last three contests with a hip injury. Despite practicing fully all week, the third-year player was listed as questionable, and the Vikings held him out of the game against the Colts.
Evans is a fascinating story. He was the team’s fourth-round pick in the underwhelming 2022 draft, and surprisingly, he played some games in his rookie season. Injuries, especially concussions, limited his impact, though.
With the arrival of Brian Flores and the lack of other options, Evans was a starter in 2023. His play was up and down. This season, he was demoted to the bench, making room in the starting lineup for acquired veterans Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin.
has played in 30 career games with 17 starts. At the age of 25, with some decent physical tools, some team might want to trade for Minnesota’s backup to bolster their secondary. The Vikings, meanwhile, would open the door for undrafted rookie Dwight McGlothern to step up on the depth chart, and they also employ veteran Fabian Moreau as a backup.
A late-round pick would get it done.
2. Brian AsamoahAnother pick from the 2022 class, Brian Asamoah, showed flashes in his rookie campaign and later in the season, even cut into the playing time of Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks. Expected to be the linebacker of the future, Asamoah lost his projected starting job to rookie Ivan Pace and was limited to special teams work.
To this point, he hasn’t started a game since Flores was hired, and even with injuries to Pace earlier in the year and Blake Cashman missing the last three games with a toe injury, he still can’t get on the field, logging only 13 defensive snaps all year behind Kamu Grugier-Hil
As a former 66th overall pick, someone who had a high draft grade could be interested in giving him a shot. Similarly to Evans, he wouldn’t draw more than a late-rounde
3. Patrick Jonesr.l.
Pass rusher Patrick Jones was a fun story early in the season, recording five sacks in the first four games of the campaign. He looked like a totally different player, the team’s number three edge defender behind only Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Fast forward one month, and Jones couldn’t keep up that pace and hasn’t recorded a sack since Week 4. In addition to him coming back to earth, the Vikings have started to unleash rookie defender Dallas Turner. Still, he is a solid rotational pass rusher and a strong run defender.
He is in his contract year, and the Vikings are unlikely to keep him for another year. Turner’s role will increase, and there surely are buyers for some edge help, so it makes sense to take some calls for the 2021 third-rounder.
