Vikings Positioned for ‘Big-Name’ Move After GM Confirms Trade Talks

Getty General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, a former commodities trader, has not let an NFL trade deadline go by without making a move.

In 2022, he swung big to land T.J. Hockenson. In 2023, he bolstered the Vikings’ quarterback depth by trading for Joshua Dobbs after losing Kirk Cousins to injury for the season.

Time will tell what move Adofo-Mensah makes this season with the Vikings (5-1) off to their best start since 2016.

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis outlined why the Vikings are positioned to make a “big-name” move at the deadline.

“The Vikings are loaded with future cap space, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they could jump-start forthcoming free agency by acquiring a big-name player and giving him a new contract,” Lewis wrote on October 22.

In a recent interview with KFAN radio, Adofo-Mensah outlined his process in the coming days and openly shared that conversations are ongoing.

“As I get names, I gotta fire them to my staff and (say) ‘Hey, is this somebody we should consider?’ What would be their role? What would their responsibility, compensation, all those things,” Adofo-Mensah told KFAN’s Paul Allen. “Those are quickly-evolving conversations that I throw with them.

“We talk to each other,” Adofo-Mensah added. “Certain (GMs) are cagier than others, certain people have open, honest conversations about — look, it’s never that you want to move a certain player, but sometimes there are opportunities that work for both sides. You try and be collaborative, I know every decision we’ve made here, I speak with the agents of the player that may be involved, and you’re trying to find win-wins for everybody involved.”

Vikings GM Adofo-Mensah’s Aggressive Trades

GettyGeneral Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.

In his first offseason as Vikings general manager, Adofo-Mensah gave the impression that he was risk-averse at going all-in, saying “You never want to go full Rams” as an organization — referring to Los Angeles’ trade for quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2021.

However, Adofo-Mensah has shown he’s a willing gambler in the trade market this past year. He traded up twice in the first round of this year’s draft to acquire franchise building blocks in quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner, the latter acquired with picks from a pre-draft trade with the Houston Texans.

The dilemma approaching this year’s trade deadline is Adofo-Mensah running low on draft capital. Minnesota only has its first-round pick and a pair of fifth-rounders for the 2025 draft.

But with the Vikings’ Super Bowl window flying open, arguably a year ahead of schedule, there’s a strong argument for finding your final pieces while teams are scrambling at the trade deadline.

Potential Vikings Trade Targets Ahead of NFL Deadline

GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.

Last offseason, the Vikings pushed hard to land a dominant defensive nose tackle, which is likely atop the organization’s shopping list for the league’s November 5 trade deadline.

Dexter Lawrence and Quinnen Williams are considered untradeable pieces in New York, while Tennessee Titans star Jeffery Simmons is seemingly off the trade block after the Titans moved De’Andre Hopkins instead. Any of those tackles would be worth at least a first-round pick.

Denver Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones was identified as a potential target for the Vikings, per ESPN. That doesn’t seem sound other than as a depth piece for a later-round pick.

Cornerback is also a position Minnesota will have to address next offseason, and with the Carolina Panthers plummeting towards a rebuild, former No. 8 overall pick Jaycee Horn could be a potential target at the position for a Day 2 pick.

The Athletic suggested Adam Thielen could be another member of the Panthers the Vikings could be interested in.

Running back was an area of need before Minnesota traded for Cam Akers last week. He’s a depth option behind Aaron Jones, who is coming back from a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 5.