Vikings Rumors: Minnesota could trade up for an offensive tackle
By Adam Patrick
Among the recent Minnesota Vikings rumors is one about the team’s willingness to trade up in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Early on Monday, we shared how the Minnesota Vikings would really like to trade back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King.
But according to a different report on Monday, the Vikings haven’t ruled the possibility of trading up in the first round either.
According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Minnesota could look into trading up in the first round if a top offensive tackle prospect falls down the board. Peliserro named former Oregon blocker Penei Sewell and former Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater as two guys the Vikings might be willing to move up for.
Vikings Rumors: Is trading up in the 2021 NFL Draft a realistic possibility for Minnesota?
Judging by the info that both King and Peliserro shared on Monday about Minnesota’s potential plans for this year’s draft, it’s almost as if the team is keeping their strategy under wraps by saying they’re open to almost anything in the first round.
The Vikings trading back this year feels more believable than them giving up draft assets to move up a few slots in the first round, especially since they still don’t have a selection in the second round.
But don’t underestimate what Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman might be willing to do in what could potentially be his last draft with the franchise if things turn out poorly next season.
The odds of Sewell slipping far past the first five selections of the 2021 draft seem pretty low, so if the Vikings were to trade up this year, it would likely be to pick Slater.
Slater isn’t a once-in-a-generation type of player like Sewell is expected to be. So is giving up a bunch of valuable draft picks to trade up and select Slater something worth doing for Minnesota? Probably not.
Add in the fact that the Vikings have never used their top pick in a draft to trade up since Spielman became the team’s general manager in 2012 and it’s still pretty difficult to think this is something that will change later this week.