A lot of the talk now is about the trade deadline. Many folks are speculating what the Vikings should do. Some fans prefer they stand pat and save the draft capital and cap space. This is not a bad idea. Since the Colts look to be in free fall, speculation abounds about them moving some of their top players like Quentin Nelson and DeForest Buckner. Both would be fabulous pickups for the Vikings. I like Jonathan Taylor myself due to the fact that Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are both free agents next
year and, more importantly, Taylor would be under contract for two more years with none guaranteed, He would be due 16 & 18M the next two years. Nelson and Buckner will be free agents and will get paid well is my guess. Some folks have speculated about the Vikings trying to trade for Ben Bredeson of the Bucs but he is their starter so it is hard to see that happening. They need to protect Baker. It is hard to find a decent guard that might be available.
Nelson would be the crown jewel but that would mean an immediate extension and moving Jackson to right guard. Not sure about that. Buckner could be the extra squeeze to get the defense more juice that the team needs. He has a 74.9 pass-rushing pff grade which ranks 12th overall showing he still has elite pass-rush efficiency. He has already racked up 4 sacks and 18 total pressures (including 3 hits and 9 hurries).
If the Colts are sellers, they probably are going to move Nelson and Buckner who likely want to go to a team that has a chance to get into the dance no?
Who do you think the team could and will sign?
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
NFL Power Rankings: Vikings Status After Week 6 Bye
https://www.vikings.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-7-status-bye-week
No. 3 (no change): Gary Davenport – Bleacher Report
There isn’t a more surprising team in the NFL this year (at least in a positive way) than the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.
Naysayers will point to a relatively easy schedule and offensive inconsistency as reasons why they aren’t as good their record. But Minnesota’s ultra-aggressive defense is legit: second in yards allowed, third against the pass, fifth against the run and first in points allowed.
Edge-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel told reporters the defense’s strength lies in its versatility.
“Things are constantly changing,” he said. “It could be changing game to game. It could be changing from series to series. It could be changing from play to play. It could be changing within the play.”
That defense is going to be tested coming up — after facing the struggling Colts at home in Week 7, the Vikings take on two of the league’s best offenses in the Lions and Bills.
No. 3 (up 1 spot): Vinnie Iyer – Sporting News
The Vikings defense has been the foundation of their undefeated start through their Week 6 bye. They have impressive pressure and takeaway stats in Brian Flores’ aggressive, blitz-happy attack, but there’s one simple number for why they haven’t lost. Their defense allows opponents to convert only a league-best 22 percent of third-down attempts.
No. 5 (up 2 spots): Frank Schwab – Yahoo! Sports
Jordan Mason’s return from a broken thumb, which should happen in Week 7, won’t create big headlines, but it’s important for the Vikings. Aaron Jones, Sr., filled in well, but he’s 31 years old, and asking him to handle almost all of the running back duties was not a long-term plan. Mason and Jones form a good committee, and they can resume their roles. The Vikings face the reeling Colts this weekend before a four-game stretch that will define their season: at Lions, vs. Bills, at Packers, vs. 49ers (in Mexico City). If they beat the Colts and go 2-2 in the four games that follow, they’ll be in great shape.
Vikings Gets Major Injury News on Addison, 3 Other Key Starters Ahead of Colts Game
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/addison-mason-hockenson-darrisaw-injuries-colts-nfl-news/
“Jordan Mason, TJ Hockenson, Christian Darrisaw and Jordan Addison are all expected to return to practice tomorrow for the #Vikings, KOC mentioned via @KFAN1003,” the VikingzFanPage X account reported. “Bye week came at the right time.”
Vikings OC Wes Phillips sends firm message about Kyler Murray’s growth and how he’s adapted to the offense
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/vikings-oc-wes-phillips-sends-firm-message-kyler-murray-kevin-oconnell-relationship/
Kyler Murray has adapted well to the system
One thing that was interesting when we went into the season was how much each side would adapt to the other? Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips talked about that coming out of the bye week and was open about how much Murray tried to acclimate.
“There wasn’t any like resistance or like, ‘Hey, I don’t want to do any of this stuff’; it was, it was more like, ‘Hey, I want to do what you guys, your offense is,’ and us trying to adjust some to make sure that he’s comfortable, but he was very open right from the start,” said Phillips.
You can see how that’s evolved over the last few weeks, especially with how much Murray was under center against the Buccaneers. They have significantly increased the shotgun percentage with the offense, and it’s done a lot for how successful they’ve been able to be. To Murray’s credit, it’s not as if he can’t play under center; he did that with the Cardinals the last three years under Drew Petzing. He has played under center. I mean, he’s done things under center,” said Phillips.
“I think that’s why you go through off-season training camp, and you put a lot of install, or at least we do, on the guys,” continued Phillips.
“You come in sometimes [early on], and you’re not asking a lot of questions necessarily right away because you need to learn you need to learn enough about what you’re doing to ask the questions, and so I think that’s just part of a new player as well. They’re trying to figure out our system, and then they start opening up and saying, okay, have you ever done it this way? Or I’m not as comfortable doing this, you know, or I haven’t done this before. And the communication with him and the play caller, Kevin, has just grown and grown as we’ve gone, as you’d expect it to, you know, as we get through our first year with him.”
Vikings Trade Rumors Hint at Potential Moves Before Deadline
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-trade-rumors-hint-potential-032756253.html
“On The Alec Lewis Show, he tripled down on his reports from KFAN and The Athletic earlier in the week, telling his YouTube and podcast audience that the MN Vikings will be ‘very active and aggressive’ in trying to find trade partners before the deadline..
Lewis even adding that he’s more “convicted and confident” a deal will get done this year than he has been the past couple seasons, before Teasley arrived as general manager.
Vikings Trade Deadline Big Board: Realistic Targets and Potential Sells
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/vikings-trade-deadline-big-board-realistic-targets-potential-sells-01m58mgr2fmq
Realistic Vikings trade targets
Kenneth Gainwell, RB (Buccaneers)
Despite the imminent return of Jordan Mason, the Vikings could still look to add to their backfield ahead of the deadline. Aaron Jones, meanwhile, proved two things as the bell cow for Minnesota over the past few weeks, and it’s that he’s still an efficient runner but lacks explosion. Without any indication that rookie speedster Demond Claiborne will earn a bigger role, the Vikings could turn to Kenneth Gainwell, who has fallen out of favor in Tampa Bay.
Antoine Winfield Jr., S (Buccaneers)
Another target from the listless Bucs, Antoine Winfield Jr. could follow in his father’s footsteps with a move to Minnesota. Safety is clearly the weak spot on an otherwise elite defense, with Harrison Smith very much looking his age and Joshua Metellus consistently on the wrong end of big plays. Winfield could be more than just a feel-good story and would become the missing piece of the puzzle for Brian Flores.
Potential Vikings trade pieces
Jauan Jennings, WR
Jennings has been about as disappointing as can be after signing a 1-year, $8 million deal this spring. He has just two catches, and his 30.3 run-block grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 196th at the position.
Ivan Pace remains a valuable special teams player for Minnesota, but has been mostly a forgotten piece on defense. He’s played just 15% of snaps and already seems to be losing some ground to rookie Jake Golday, who looks to be progressing every week.
Jay Ward, S
Jay Ward started most of the second half of the 2025 season but now, like Pace, has been limited to mostly special teams play.
Minnesota Vikings Trade Deadline Preview: Nolan Teasley’s path to glory is not the one you’re expecting
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/minnesota-vikings-trade-deadline-preview-nolan-teasleys-path-to-glory-deforest-buckner-tyler-steen-payne-durham/
Vikings GM Nolan Teasley can take advantage of another franchise’s misfortune and bolster the roster for a Super Bowl run
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/vikings-nolan-teasley-trade-deadline-colts-jonathan-taylor-deforest-buckner-quenton-nelson-cam-bynum-josh-downs/
What Could the Vikings Get For Jauan Jennings At the Deadline?
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/what-could-the-vikings-get-for-jauan-jennings-at-the-deadline/
The Vikings Can Go Window Shopping Against Indianapolis
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/the-vikings-can-go-window-shopping-against-indianapolis/
The Vikings Should Have A Breakout Passing Game Against the Colts
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/the-vikings-should-have-a-breakout-passing-game-against-the-colts/
Kyler Murray Has Meaningfully Raised the Vikings’ Floor
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/kyler-murray-has-meaningfully-raised-the-vikings-floor/
Keys for the Vikings’ offense in Week 7 against the Colts
https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/vikings/2026/10/20/keys-for-the-vikings-offense-against-the-colts-in-week-7/92353690007/
Should the Vikings pull off a blockbuster running back trade?
https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/vikings/2026/10/20/would-it-make-sense-for-the-vikings-to-pull-off-a-blockbuster-trade/92346446007/
The Vikings Corner Crew Gets a New Player
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-corner-new-player
Yore Mock
TRADE: MIN receive: 2.58 <-> CAR receive: 2.62, 5.157
…
Pick 30. – Greg Johnson (IOL, Minnesota): 6’6″, 325 lbs
Pick 58. – Reed Harris (WR, Arizona State): 6’5″, 220 lbs
Pick 78. – Isaac Brown (RB, Louisville): 5’9″, 190 lbs
Pick 94. – Peter Clarke (TE, Temple): 6’6″, 265 lbs
Pick 156. – Jay’Vion Cole (CB, Arizona): 5’10”, 190 lbs
Pick 167. – Wendell Gregory (EDGE, Kansas State): 6’3″, 255 lbs
Pick 188. – Hero Kanu (DL, Texas): 6’4″, 321 lbs
Pick 202. – Paki Finau (OT, BYU): 6’5″, 310 lbs
Pick 213. – Devon Jackson (LB, Oregon): 6’2″, 230 lbs
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