5 players the Vikings could trade for before the 2022 regular season
By Clay Vasquez
Maxx Williams – TE (Arizona Cardinals)
Let’s address the elephant in the room: The Vikings’ tight end room is abysmal. Irv Smith Jr has a lot of hype entering this season, but after missing all of 2021 with a knee injury, there is some risk with him. Considering Smith has never played an entire season as Minnesota’s true No. 1 tight end, it has yet to be seen if he can stand up to the task.
Going further down the tight end depth chart in Minnesota does not make things better, as it is filled with inexperienced players with little playing time, even if they’ve been in the league for years.
The Vikings need more depth at the tight end position, and that is where Maxx Williams steps in. The seventh-year man out of Minnesota has spent time with Baltimore and Arizona, re-signing with the Cardinals this offseason on a cheap one-year deal.
Williams has been a career backup in the NFL and now he’s expected to take even more of a backseat in Arizona as they have star Zach Ertz leading the tight end room, with 2022 second-round pick Trey McBride backing him up.
Williams should be expendable in Arizona, and the Vikings should be on the lookout for depth at the tight end position, making this a potential match for the two teams.
Williams would not come into the Twin Cities and usurp the throne from Smith, but if Smith were to sustain an injury, having Williams as a security blanket should help Minnesota fans breath a little easier at night.
The two tight ends behind Smith have a career total of 11 receptions combined, while Williams beat out that mark in 2021 alone in only five games. With the way that injuries have plagued the Vikings in recent seasons, having some insurance is never a bad idea.