If Kwesi Adofo-Mensah really wants to make a splash at the deadline, these would be the players to target.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings have already been busy adding to their roster this year, acquiring Cam Akers and Cam Robinson in recent trades. More moves, perhaps on the defensive side of the ball, could be coming prior to Tuesday afternoon’s deadline. And if Adofo-Mensah really wants to make a major splash, here are five players who would be worth trading next year’s first-round pick (and perhaps more) to land. These are the type of stars you acquire to then extend and make a big part of your future.
Note: Every single one of these should be regarded as highly unlikely, especially lower down the list, but they’re still fun to think about!
Jets CB D.J. Reed
The Vikings saw firsthand how good Reed is when they played the Jets in London. The 5’9″ veteran is one of the stickiest cornerbacks in the NFL, ranking third in PFF grade among corners with at least 200 snaps played. Opposing quarterbacks have a 63.8 passer rating when throwing at his coverage assignment. He’s a legitimate No. 1 corner who is approaching his 28th birthday.
Reed is a free agent after this season and plays on a 2-6 Jets team that might want to consider entering rebuild mode amid a highly disappointing season. If I’m the Vikings, I’d trade my late first-rounder to get Reed and then immediately sign him to a big-time contract extension. He’s that good.
Panthers CB Jaycee Horn
Another option the Vikings could consider at cornerback is Horn, the No. 8 overall pick in 2021. He’s still on his rookie contract and has a fifth-year option in 2025. Horn has been a very good player for Carolina when healthy, but injuries have limited him to 30 games in 3.5 seasons. He’s healthy right now and producing at a high level.
The 1-7 Panthers don’t ideally want to move Horn, but it’s not out of the question. The Vikings, who haven’t been afraid to take on players with injury risks, could look to extend him and make him their No. 1 corner of the future. As a reminder, all three of their starters this season — Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., and Shaq Griffin — are pending free agents.
Saints CB Marshon Lattimore
This one feels even less realistic, but can you imagine? Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler, is a shutdown corner who has allowed just eight receptions all season. He’s in year three of a five-year, $97 million deal, so the Saints would end up eating plenty of dead money if they trade him, but they’re also 2-6 and going nowhere. The 28-year-old would instantly upgrade the Vikings’ secondary in a big way. His base salary is around $16 million in 2025 and ’26, which isn’t crazy.
Titans DT Jeffery Simmons
Tennessee reportedly has no intention of trading Simmons, but Adofo-Mensah should still check in with his friend Ran Carthon (the two worked together in the 49ers’ front office) a couple more times just to be sure. Simmons is the exact type of havoc-wreaking defensive tackle who could transform the Vikings’ defense and help take it to the next level. The two-time Pro Bowler got off to a slightly slow start to this season, but he’s been back to his old ways over the past few weeks.
Simmons is in the first year of a big contract and won’t be a free agent until 2028, so the 1-6 Titans may want to keep him around as part of their core. But the Vikings should offer next year’s first and a couple other picks just to see if there’s a chance they can pry him away.
Giants DT Dexter Lawrence
The great white whale of the Vikings’ trade deadline, at least from a fan perspective, is Lawrence. He’s one of the very best players in the NFL and would take Minnesota’s defense from menacing to borderline unstoppable. Lawrence has been one of the most dominant defensive stars in the league since moving to nose tackle in 2022 and leads all players with 9 sacks in 8 games this year. He’s unbelievably good at what he does — and what he does happens to be one of the glaring weaknesses of the Vikings’ roster.
But even with the Giants at 2-6, Lawrence is under contract until 2028 and seems unlikely to be moved. At the very least, it would probably take the Vikings’ next two first-round picks to get in the ballpark.