Charley Casserly: Bills Want to Trade Up For Matt Kalil

Rick Spielman’s trade dream may come true after all. Charley Casserly reports that the Buffalo Bills have a big thing for Matt Kalil and may be willing to cough up the 41st overall pick in a trade with the Vikings. Minnesota would also get Buffalo’s first round pick, the 10th overall in the draft. According to Casserly, the Bills think they’re pretty close to contending and just need a solid tackle to keep pass rushers off their QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

If I’m the Vikings and I really don’t want Kalil myself, then I do this trade in a heartbeat. With three picks in the top 41 they would have a decent shot at drafting three starters and I don’t need to explain how huge that would be especially after their decision to mostly sit out free agency. Presumably one of those three picks would still be a left tackle. Believe it or not there are some quality tackles in this draft besides Matt Kalil, including Bobby Massie, Jonathan Martin and Jeff Allen.

There are of course lots of people who will think this idea is crazy. They will say Matt Kalil is too good a player to pass up. They will insist that drafting a stud left tackle is the best possible move to make if you really want to help out Christian Ponder. Those people have a very legitimate point. But it all comes down to the Vikings’ own evaluation process. It’s possible they don’t love Kalil as much as other teams. It’s also possible they don’t believe an elite left tackle is a necessity in this day and age.

Here’s all I know: After months of Matt Kalil hype, if the Vikings don’t take him, there are going to be some grumbling fans. Especially if they also miss out on Justin Blackmon and Morris Claiborne (which presumably they would if they do move down to 10). Of course Casserly’s whole report could just be more strategic leaking by the Vikings in the interest of creating a trade that isn’t actually there. The good news? We are now less than a day away from finding out if this is a legit trade or just more Spielman jive.

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