The NFL draft trade season is here and there are many trade proposals being discussed, some of which are difficult to accept or even imagine, especially for the Minnesota Vikings.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested this trade idea on Thursday, April 18. The Vikings have been the subject of many trade suggestions recently, with most focusing on getting into the top five to draft a franchise quarterback. Many of these hypothetical deals involve multiple first-round picks, but sometimes the Vikings consider trading one star player — wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Barnwell looked at a trade proposal involving trading Jefferson and the 23rd pick to the New England Patriots for the opportunity to pick a QB third overall.
I don’t think the Vikings want to trade Jefferson. … At the very least, until a Jefferson deal gets done, I’m keeping an open mind about the star wideout’s future.
The Vikings would notably be holding onto the No. 11 selection as part of this trade, which would allow them to get creative in replacing Jefferson. They could move forward with Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson as the bulk of their receiving corps, but would they want to draft Brian Thomas Jr. there? Would they try to move up to No. 8 to grab Rome Odunze?
It’s tough to look at any wide receiver and expect him to turn into Jefferson, but the Vikings could draft Drake Maye at No. 3 and then surround him with two first-round picks at wide receiver, Aaron Jones at running back and Hockenson at tight end.
Drake Maye is the Vikings' Preferred QB in NFL Draft
GettyQuarterback Drake Maye from the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Minnesota would be giving up arguably the best receiver in football at just 24 years old, which seems illogical whether you consider it in isolation or in any hypothetical scenario. However, there are two reasons supporting this proposal.
The first reason is that the Vikings probably can't put together a strong enough trade package to move up for Maye without making a drastic move. The two options are three first-round picks and more or a first-rounder in 2024 plus a bona fide superstar talent like Jefferson based on New England’s position.
Receivers are important in the NFL, especially for a team planning to start a rookie QB. However, quarterback is more important, and Maye is Minnesota’s preferred choice according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
“I think Drake Maye is the leader in the clubhouse, but it all depends on the team,” Schefter said during a SportsCenter Special edition on April 15. “If Minnesota were to find a way to go up to No. 3, my sense is Drake Maye is the preference.”
Trading Justin Jefferson Would Save Vikings Significant Amount of Money
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.
Aside from allowing the Vikings to potentially draft an elite franchise QB in Maye, who has a previous relationship with new Minnesota quarterbacks coach Josh McCown dating back to high school, the second reason behind the team’s case for trading Jefferson is the significant amount of money it would save.
Jefferson is entering the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, which the team exercised ahead of last season and which pays the wideout $19.7 million in 2024. Most top NFL analysts predict Jefferson will reset the market at the position, which means a contract north of
$140 million total and $30 million annually , and likely more than those numbers by a large amount.Vikings Need to Figure Out How to Distribute Money Across Key Positions
Left tackle Christian Darrisaw from the Minnesota Vikings.
GettyThe market for receivers has grown in recent years, but positions like quarterback, left tackle, and edge rusher are still more essential and worth bigger investments than wide receiver. Adding a starting quarterback on a rookie contract who can win, which Minnesota will try to do regardless of whether it's Maye or someone else, significantly justifies paying a player like Jefferson the type of contract he's going to receive.
However, this ultimately limits a franchise's ability to pay top dollar to other critical areas of need. Minnesota already released star pass rusher
Danielle Hunter this offseason due to financial concerns, while left tackle Christian Darrisaw will become an unrestricted free agent in a few years and will command a high salary. This doesn't mean the Vikings won't end up paying Jefferson, or, as Barnwell mentioned, that they don't want to. Jefferson has so much stardom and skill that even if parting ways with him is the right decision, Minnesota could still suffer in the long term in terms of public perception if the team doesn't win a Super Bowl in the first few seasons after his departure.
However, if the Vikings ever have a chance to avoid paying Jefferson such a high amount, trading him for the QB of the future represents the best possible scenario.
Then, of course, Maye — or whoever becomes that franchise quarterback in the end — would need to prove themselves. And if they didn't, Minnesota would face a different set of problems entirely.
The NFL draft trade season is here in the league and the proposals are being exchanged, some of which are hard to digest — especially for the Minnesota Vikings.
