Will the Vikings Make a Deal before the Deadline?

The Vikings are in the enviable position of being atop their division with no real weaknesses as the trade deadline approaches. They could boost their roster, because what team cannot, but they do not have the urgent need to add before tomorrow’s 3 p.m. CT deadline so they can afford to be stingy with offers.

Minnesota is mediocre only in one area, but have room for improvement in three: Running back needs work, quarterback and offensive line are decent but unspectacular. Obviously, Rick Spielman is not going to make a deal for a quarterback again after he A) got burned by the last one, dealing a first round pick for 16.5 games of Sam Bradford and B) may have Teddy Bridgewater returning and C) has gotten solid play from Case Keenum. So quarterback is out.

The offensive line is not a major issue; they have done a solid job in pass pro and opened holes in the run game well enough. Could they be better? Sure, but the weak points are more likely to be filled via the draft and/or free agency.

So that leaves running back. It would be a back from a team that is not competing for a playoff spot who needs draft picks, a team ready to sell off all of its assets.

The obvious choice then are the two worst teams in football, the 49ers and the Browns. And of the running backs on these two teams, the most desirable would be Carlos Hyde.

The fit seems to work; Hyde is an unrestricted free agent after this year so the risk is relatively low. And with Dalvin Cook as the future of the position for them, Minnesota really only needs Hyde for the home stretch this year. It would just depend on what the 49ers asking price is. Given that the Vikings are down a 2018 pick due to the Bradford trade, they are not really in position to get into a bidding war with other teams desperate for running back production, like the Redskins or Panthers.

There is not a lot of precedent for a back of Hyde’s value getting moved midseason. The most recent example is Adrian Peterson, who New Orleans sent to Arizona for a conditional sixth round pick earlier this year. But Peterson’s stock was at an all-time low before the trade. Hyde is a productive and relatively young back, averaging 4.65 yards per touch in 2017, his age-27 season. A safe bet would be it would cost at least one, possibly two picks in the range of rounds three to five to acquire him.

The Vikings are in a good position in that they have a couple of proven backs on their roster already. They have leverage that the 49ers simply do not; Hyde may not want to resign with after this season and San Francisco needs to get something for him. They have denied reports that they are shopping Hyde and have claimed interest in resigning the former Ohio State running back but that may not be up to them. Now is as good of a time as any for San Francisco to unload as they will not be able to at season’s end.

Beyond Hyde, the running back cupboard is pretty bare. The Colts may float 34-year-old Frank Gore out there, but the asking price is likely too high and the upside too low.

The need to add outside of the running back just does not exist anywhere else on the Vikings’ roster. Of course, Minnesota could pull a Jacksonville and add to a position of strength; the Jaguars just traded for Marcell Dareus to bolster a defensive line that was already arguably the league’s best.

One name that could interest Viking fans is Martavis Bryant. Bryant, personal problems aside, is an exceptionally talented receiver and with Stefon Diggs’ groin problems, his athleticism could be a great safety net for whoever is quarterbacking the Vikings down the stretch. Who can forget week two when Bryan absolutely torched the Viking secondary?

Of course, his personal problems cannot be put aside and Bryant has shown himself to be one of the NFL’s biggest “me” guys. On an offense that spreads the ball around, that will not fly. Still, if Pittsburgh (who has already said they are not trading him) asks for a seventh round pick, it could be worth kicking the tires on Bryant. He will be an unrestricted free agent after 2018 so if it were to all go downhill, Minnesota would only be stuck with him for a year.

There are also reports out there that the Colts are taking calls on T.Y. Hilton. Hilton’s game is a little redundant with Diggs so the Vikings are probably not in the market there. Plus, teams are saying the Colts’ asking price for Hilton is too high and if it is high for teams that need a receiver, it surely is too high for Minnesota. They are not really in position to deal first and second round picks.

Chances are good that Rick Spielman will be relatively quiet at the deadline. He likes his draft picks and the weaknesses on the Vikings’ roster are not glaring. Perhaps there will be a small move or two to increase depth at running back or wide receiver but do not expect any blockbusters.

–Sam Smith is the Managing Editor for cover32/Vikings. Like and Follow @samc_smith Follow @cover32_MIN

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