Which current Minnesota Vikings players might be dealt in 2021?
Last year, the Minnesota Vikings kicked off their offseason with a huge trade that sent wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for multiple draft picks.
It was one of the most notable trades in Vikings history and it is one that has turned out to be a good deal for both teams involved since it also resulted in Justin Jefferson landing in the Twin Cities.
This year, Minnesota might turn to the trade market once again to improve their roster for the 2021 season. Since they’re not expected to have a ton of salary cap space this year, the Vikings could look to deal a high-priced veteran during the next few months to free up some more spending money.
Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman are running out of time to produce a championship for the franchise. Due to this, they might be more inclined to make a big trade this year if it results in them acquiring the pieces necessary to help them get back into contention.
So who are some of the current members of the Vikings roster that could potentially be traded at some point during the 2021 offseason?
Riley Reiff – LT
It will probably be more surprising if Riley Reiff is actually still on the Vikings’ roster for their first game of the 2021 season.
Reiff has been involved in a bunch of recent trade rumors during the last year, including one just before last season’s trade deadline that involved the Tennessee Titans. The offensive lineman obviously didn’t get dealt to the Titans, but the interest in trading for his services should still be there this offseason.
After two underwhelming performances in 2018 and 2019, Reiff got back on track last season, and the argument can be made that he played better than any other offensive lineman on Minnesota’s roster.
Heading into 2021, however, the Vikings left tackle is currently scheduled to have a cap hit of $13.95 million. While his cap hit isn’t outrageous for next season, Minnesota could save almost $12 million if they cut or trade him.
That might be a move the Vikings are forced to make considering the fact that they are currently projected to begin the new league year in March more than $9 million over the salary cap.
Minnesota would obviously like to see what they can get for Reiff on the trade market first before they decide to release him. If a team includes a third or fourth-round pick in an offer for the left tackle, then that would be a deal the Vikings should pounce on.
Anthony Barr – LB
It’s been a while since the Vikings have seen Anthony Barr on the field. Thanks to a torn pectoral muscle, Barr only appeared in two games for Minnesota this past season, and his absence was a big reason why the team’s defense took a giant step backward.
Before his injury-ravaged 2020 campaign, Barr had developed into one of the top linebackers in the league. His value to the Vikings might not be obvious in the box score, but the veteran linebacker was sorely missed by the team’s defense this past season.
This year, Minnesota will have a decision to make since Eric Wilson will be hitting free agency. The Vikings can either re-sign Wilson and find a trade partner for Barr or let Wilson walk and give Barr his old job back.
Personally, Wilson had the best performance of his career in 2020. He led Minnesota with 122 tackles while also accumulating 10 pressures, nine quarterback hits, eight pass breakups, three sacks, and three interceptions.
Despite his play, however, the Vikings defense still performed very poorly with him out on the field. But Minnesota might decide to bring Wilson back for 2021 anyway since he could potentially cost less than Barr.
For next season, Barr is currently scheduled to have a $15.5 million cap hit. As we mentioned previously, the Vikings will likely need to make some significant roster moves just to get out of the red with their salary cap before the start of the new league year in March.
If Minnesota can trade Barr before June 1, the move would clear $7.7 million in cap space. Is that enough for the Vikings to try and get rid of one of their top defenders?
Harrison Smith – S
An extension is something that seems more likely for Harrison Smith this offseason, but don’t ever underestimate Vikings general manager Rick Spielman when it comes to making a big trade.
As was the case with Stefon Diggs last year, Minnesota could certainly part ways with Smith during the next few months if the right offer is presented.
At 31-years-old, Smith had another impressive season in 2020. In 16 games, he finished with 89 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and he tied a career-high with five interceptions.
There don’t appear to be any signs of Smith’s juice starting to run out, so one would assume he still has at least a few more good seasons left in him.
Due to his value to their defense, the Vikings might need a return package to include at least one first-round draft pick in order to trade the safety this offseason. It’s possible that Minnesota could pull the trigger if a second-round selection is offered, but acquiring a pick in the first round is something that would certainly make trading Smith easier to swallow.
Trading their top safety this year would free up $10.25 million in cap space for the Vikings, which might make turning down a deal more difficult given how much money they are expected to need to free up in order to not be over the cap to begin the free agency period in March.
Once again, however, Minnesota attempting to extend Smith this year and give him a contract that should allow him to possibly finish his career in purple is still something that seems more likely than the team trading him.
Adam Thielen – WR
There are probably Vikings fans out there that would hate it if the team traded Adam Thielen for Patrick Mahomes. That’s how much Thielen means to Minnesota’s fan base.
Still, the Vikings veteran receiver is inching closer to the end of his career, and pass-catchers aren’t known for being very productive at his age (he’ll be 31 in August). Since 2010, only 12 wide receivers who were at least 31-years-old have finished with 1,000 receiving yards or more in a single season.
For 2021, Thielen is currently scheduled to have a cap hit of $13.5 million, which will be the fifth-highest on Minnesota’s roster. Trading or releasing the veteran receiver before June 1 would clear $8.1 million in cap space for the Vikings.
That might not seem like enough for some to deal Thielen elsewhere this offseason, but the possible return package Minnesota could receive in a trade for the receiver is what could convince them to send him packing.
The Vikings currently don’t have a second-round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, and if this is something they can land in exchange for Thielen, it might be hard for Rick Spielman to say no.
If Minnesota doesn’t deal Thielen this year, it’s something they will probably have to think about for the near future. He’s not getting any younger and his cap hits only go up after this season until his contract expires in 2025.
4 players that better not return to the Vikings in 2021
When the Minnesota Vikings are constructing their roster for the 2021 season, which members of their 2020 roster should they send packing?
As is the case with Harrison Smith, the percentage chance of the Vikings actually trading Thielen this year still seems to be very low. But Minnesota’s expected financial situation this offseason and Spielman’s reputation when it comes to trades makes the possibility of Thielen getting dealt something that cannot be ruled out.