One of the most recent Minnesota Vikings rumors has to do with their desire to trade back from their current position in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
In a few days, Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman will get to flex his roster-building muscles when the 2021 NFL Draft gets underway.
This annual event is how Spielman has been able to remain with the Vikings for so long. His ability to accumulate additional draft picks every year is unlike almost any other general manager in the NFL.
So when NBC Sports’ Peter King shared on Monday that Spielman “really wants to trade down,” in the first round of this year’s draft, no one should be surprised by this.
Vikings Rumors: Minnesota looking to move back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft
Currently, Minnesota is sitting with the No. 14 pick in the opening round of the 2021 draft. King actually has the Vikings using their first-round choice on former USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker in his mock draft, but he led his blurb about the selection with the statement about Spielman wanting to trade back.
There are a few reasons why this shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. One, Minnesota’s general manager is always looking for a trade during the draft. It got a little out of hand last year when the Vikings ended up making a total of 15 selections.
Second, Minnesota currently doesn’t have a pick in the second round of the 2021 draft. Over the years, this is the round in which Spielman has been able to find top talent like Dalvin Cook, Eric Kendricks, Brian O’Neill, and Mackensie Alexander. If there is one round in the draft where the Vikings general manager excels the most, it’s the second.
Lastly, Minnesota is in a prime slot for teams to trade up if a quarterback or another prospect starts to fall down the board. If the Vikings think they can trade back in the first round, still get the guy they want, and land a second-round pick in the process, this is a move Spielman will make 10 out of 10 times.
3 players the Vikings could trade for during the 2021 NFL Draft
Which current players from around the league might the Minnesota Vikings attempt to acquire during the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft?
Minnesota’s general manager has developed a reputation of never being afraid of making a trade during the NFL Draft and that isn’t about to change this year.