Vikings reportedly tried to trade up in the first round on Thursday
By Adam Patrick
Before agreeing to trade back in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings were reportedly trying to move up the board.
Looking back at the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, most would agree that it was a success for the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings landed one of the top offensive tackle prospects in Christian Darrisaw in addition to acquiring two more picks in the third round after a trade with the New York Jets.
Before Minnesota agreed to the deal with the Jets, however, they reportedly gave the New York Giants a call to see what it would take to move up to the No. 11 pick according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on Friday.
Why did the Minnesota Vikings try to trade up in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft?
With quarterbacks Justin Fields and Mac Jones both still available before the 11th pick, some might assume that the Vikings were attempting to move up the board to land one of these two young passers. But that apparently was not in their plans.
According to Breer, Minnesota contacted the Giants about the No. 11 pick to try and land former Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater. But New York’s asking price was apparently too high for the Vikings and the Giants ultimately ended up agreeing to trade their first-round selection to the Chicago Bears, who used that pick to grab Fields.
To acquire New York’s first-round pick, the Bears sent them a total of four draft selections, including this year’s and next year’s pick in the first round. Minnesota was only three spots behind the Giants in the draft order, so they weren’t about to send New York a 2022 first-round selection.
In the end, it worked out for everyone involved. Chicago got their new quarterback, the Giants ended up with a top receiver in Kadarius Toney, and the Vikings went on to agree to a different trade with the Jets that resulted in them drafting Darrisaw and acquiring two additional picks in the third round.