Michael Floyd: Should Vikings trade for Cardinals receiver?
By Dan Zinski
Michael Floyd might be put on the trade block by the Arizona Cardinals, but would the Vikings think about picking him up?
The Vikings need to get a wide receiver in the first round of the draft, but there could be an avenue for making that happen that doesn’t actually involve drafting a receiver.
What if the Vikings elected to swing a trade for a veteran receiver rather than spend a draft pick on a rookie who may or may not need time to develop?
It just so happens there’s a receiver out in Arizona who might be available via trade on draft day. Sorry guys, I’m not talking about THAT Arizona receiver.
"Even with restricted free agent Tony Jefferson signing his one-year tender, I’m told by a Cardinals scout that they will target a defensive back in Round 1. The center position is one the Cardinals could target early, and the scout also said the team fell in love with Alabama’s Ryan Kelly (Alabama). The scout and another team source both said they wouldn’t be surprised if wide receiver Michael Floyd is used as trade bait to move up or add extra picks."
If this rumor were about Larry Fitzgerald, folks in Minnesota would be salivating right now. But Michael Floyd?
Well, Floyd is a local product like Fitzgerald, having been born in St. Paul. Floyd is younger than Fitzgerald and has many of the physical traits we’ve been saying the Vikings should be looking for in a receiver.
Floyd is tall at 6-3 and is fast enough to be a downfield threat. He’s been fairly productive in his career, finishing with 859 yards on 52 catches last year with six touchdowns. Those yardage and touchdown totals would have led the Vikings, and the 52 catches would have tied him with Stefon Diggs for the team lead.
Now the contract situation: Floyd’s fifth-year option was picked up by Arizona and he is owed $7.32 million for 2016. The contract expires after this year so at worst you would be renting Floyd for one season at $7.32 million. You could always negotiate a new deal with Floyd and lower his 2016 salary.
Arguments against making this trade are fairly obvious. Floyd is a good player but hardly a superstar. Does it make good long-term sense to settle for Floyd as a quick-fix and forgo the chance to draft a potential future star like Josh Doctson or Laquon Treadwell? What would you have to give up to make the trade happen?
Floyd himself might not be worth much but presumably this trade would involve multiple other picks with the end result being Arizona moving up in the first and the Vikings sliding down at least to #29. Top receivers like Doctson and Treadwell would almost surely be off the board by #29, though the Vikings could still choose to take a lesser receiving target with that pick or in a later round to further beef up their depth.
Giving up a mid-round pick straight up for Floyd without moving down could be a possibility but would the Vikings follow that up by drafting a receiver, or would they elect to address a different position at #23, possibly defensive tackle or safety or offensive line? The Vikings trading away a third (for instance) straight up for Floyd sounds far-fetched unless they simply decided they didn’t love any of the top receiver prospects in the draft and got desperate.
To me it all boils down to this: What is the best way to help the Vikings’ offense get better? Arguably, a veteran like Floyd would provide more immediate production and therefore more immediate assistance for Teddy Bridgewater. But a player like Doctson or Treadwell could conceivably contribute a lot early, and develop beyond that into a superstar player.
Next: Vikings prefer Josh Doctson?
Michael Floyd has already reached his ceiling as a player, and that ceiling is “decent complementary piece but never going to be anything great.” I guess if you believe the Vikings really need a quick fix and can’t take a chance on drafting a player who might need time to develop, this trade idea is intriguing. But you also have to believe Floyd truly represents a quick fix. Mike Wallace allegedly represented a quick fix last year and picking him up didn’t really fix anything.