3 prospects the Vikings should trade up for in the 2022 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
After free agency, which prospects should the Minnesota Vikings try to trade up for in the draft?
The Minnesota Vikings finally broke through and landed a splash signing in free agency by agreeing to terms with pass rusher Za’Darius Smith. Smith, a former Green Bay Packer, chose the Vikings after originally agreeing to a deal with the Ravens. His arrival gives the Vikings a much-needed boost on defense.
Prior to his signing, the Vikings were firmly in the mix to draft a pass rusher with the 12th overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. However, Smith makes that much less of a concern – as does the return of Danielle Hunter. Michigan’s David Ojabo, one of the candidates to be the selection at 12th overall, suffered an Achilles injury and seems to be out of play for the Vikings.
With so much movement in the draft just from the past week or so, the Vikings have to adjust their plans at the end of April. They have made moves that suggest they are ready to compete in 2022 and want to pursue that angle of franchise-building. If that’s the case, they should view this draft as an opportunity to bolster the rest of the roster for a playoff run this season.
Sticking at 12th overall in the first round is going to put the Vikings in a tough spot when it comes to finding impact players for their roster. They might want to consider moving up in the first few rounds of the draft to push for immediate success.