Credit: Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The NFL scouting combine is here and it’s a big one for the Minnesota Vikings. While college prospects won’t put on their skin-tight outfits and perform until Wednesday, most of the league’s top front office decision-makers and media insiders began arriving in Indianapolis over the weekend.
That means many of them were already ‘bumping into each other’ at local establishments Saturday and Sunday night. This is exciting news for MN Vikings fans who have been waiting impatiently for weeks to find out which quarterback their favorite football team is going to reel in to “compete” with JJ McCarthy.
Minnesota Vikings looking to wheel and deal?
One of the local beat writers in town, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, arrived on the scene in Indy Sunday. And this morning, he released a mailbag article where one question/answer in particular between him and a reader named Grayson K. stands out.
Do you foresee any trades of important Vikings players this offseason? — Grayson K (The Athletic).
Despite their cap space issues and desperate need to get younger through the draft, Lewis makes it clear that a major trade (or trades) to shake up the roster are absolutely on the table.
While the Minnesota Vikings aren’t expected to be dangling their most talented players out on the trade block all offseason, per Lewis. But Rob Brzezinski and Kevin O’Connell appear ready and willing to explore whatever rabbit hole trade ideas other teams come to them with… assuming they do NOT include superstar Justin Jefferson.
At this point, the only trade idea worth completely ruling out is anything involving Jefferson.
The Vikings won’t dangle any of their key players. However, the size of offers can pique varying levels of interest, especially for players whose contracts already create questions.
We have already heard the Minnesota Vikings’ involved in trade rumors and interest surrounding top-tier quarterback talents like Joe Burrow. Could Alec’s response to Gregory hint toward a superstar QB move like that this offseason. It could, but something like that would have to present itself.
The overall theme that Lewis put out here in today’s response to Greg’s question on the Vikings’ offseason trade plans, is that this organization wants to get better, and fast, because the Wilfs want to win in 2026 and return to the playoffs.
So if a trade offer lands on the desk of Brzezinski that, in theory, makes the Minnesota Vikings a better football team, I have little doubt they’d pull the trigger, no matter how big or small the deal is.
Who makes most sense in a Minnesota Vikings trade rumors?
However, there are some guys who make more sense in a trade than others. For example, Lewis pitches a trade of TJ Hockenson that the NFL insider cannot imagine Minnesota wouldn’t be excited to explore, given Hockenson’s ballooned cost ($21.2 million in 2026) and diminished role in O’Connell’s offense.
To this point, we’ve heard more rumors on a possible restructured contract with Hockenson, than we have trade rumors. Should another team come along that values him more, though, it could benefit both the Vikings and TJ to consider that deal.
Let’s take tight end T.J. Hockenson as an example. His current cap number is projected at $21.2 million for 2026, the highest in the NFL for a tight end. His recent production doesn’t match that number.
Pursuing a pay cut is one sensible avenue, but what if another tight-end-needy team reaches out with a solid offer, one that would give Minnesota more flexibility? In that instance, it’d almost certainly behoove all sides (including Hockenson’s representation) to explore the possibility.
Other MN Vikings players who would seemingly make sense for a trade in the same kind of ways Hockenson does — include Javon Hargrave, Aaron Jones, Jonathan Allen, Blake Brandel and (one to really watch for) Jordan Addison.
Mentioned in this article: Justin Jefferson NFL Offseason NFL Trade Rumors
More About:Minnesota Vikings
Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.