Day 1 draft moves that would create nightmares for the Vikings

Packers acquire Bateman

The final prospect in this article will have some fans holding their breath and crossing their fingers in the hopes that this situation remains hypothetical.

After watching University of Minnesota alums Tyler Johnson and Vikings legacy defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. hoist the Lombardi trophy with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February, one of the last things Minnesotans want to see is a homegrown talent like former Golden Gophers wide receiver Rashod Bateman help bring success to their most accomplished divisional rival.

While the Vikings have found ways to stay competitive and press the Green Bay Packers for the divisional crown, even the most passionate of fans can see that Green Bay is one more stud receiver away from a potential Super Bowl appearance next season.

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams just had the best season of his career and he has established himself as one of the best route-runners in the league. Pairing his All-Pro skill set with the tough, physical play of Bateman would bolster the passing game to the best it’s been since 2014 when Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb helped form one of the league’s best receiving duos.

The Packers have appeared in the NFC Championship three times over the last four seasons, but they have fallen short each time. The year Green Bay wasn’t in the NFC title game was the year the Vikings faced the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. believes the Packers are the best fit for the promising prospect and he could very well be in play at 29th overall. While Bateman may not be hyped up as much as the top prospects in this year’s draft, he demonstrates tremendous physical play in contested catches, and he has excellent hands that often make difficult catches look routine.

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Watching Bateman tear it up in the Packers’ colors is a lot more possible than Minnesota fans would like to believe, so let’s hope that they decide to repeat their performance from last year’s draft.