The Minnesota Vikings had an early, yet well-timed, bye week in Week 6 to allow multiple players to get healthy after a 5-0 start. Week 7 brings a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, who seemed to take a week off themselves with a loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans.
Monday brought someone losing their job in Indianapolis, as long-time general manager Chris Ballard was fired. At 2-4, there's time for the Colts to turn their season around, but they could easily be 2-7 by the Sunday before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
As Indianapolis seemingly shifts into sell mode, the Vikings are undeniably buyers between now and the trade deadline. The process of checking out players who could be of interest can start very conveniently, with the Colts paying a visit to U.S. Bank Stadium just days after firing their general manager.
Indianapolis and Minnesota look like a trade deadline match, with or without playing a game against each other in just a few days, and these Colts players should be on the Vikings' radar immediately.
4 Colts players the Vikings should realistically consider trading for
Jonathan Taylor - RB
Even if Indianapolis has a deadline fire sale, at a glance it's hard to envision them trading Jonathan Taylor after just signing him to a contract extension before the season. That said, a 27-year-old running back who'll turn 28 right after this season isn't a great fit for the reset/rebuild the Colts seem to be headed for.
If a team traded for Taylor, they would take on the prorated portions of his $6.98 million base salary and $1.02 million in per-game roster bonuses for this year. Depending on the exact timing, those numbers don't seem outlandish for a back of Taylor's caliber.
After this year, Taylor has no more guaranteed salary left in his contract, with remaining cap hits of $16.02 million (2027) and $17.98 million (2028). A big chunk of that 2028 money is tied to a $7.5 million roster bonus that comes due on the fifth day of the league year. The Colts protected themselves against a potential decline from Taylor, and a team that trades for him would get the same benefit.
Once Jordan Mason is back healthy to rejoin Aaron Jones, which is expected to be this week, the Vikings will have their projected backfield duo whole again. Running back doesn't feel like a big need with that in mind, but the chance to get an upgrade like Taylor is hard to turn away from.
Mo Alie-Cox - TE
Mo Alie-Cox has been a Colt for so long that he played with Andrew Luck. He has never had a huge role, but he has done well with his opportunities. So far this season, he is a top-15 overall-graded tight end by PFF, with a touchdown among his four catches.
With Josh Oliver out indefinitely, Minnesota leaned on young tight ends Ben Yurosek and Gavin Bartholomew when T.J. Hockenson left Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints very early with a concussion.
While they stepped up nicely, the question is whether that situation is sustainable behind Hockenson, who likely benefited from the bye week to recover from his head injury.
Alie-Cox would bring a welcome dose of experience behind Hockenson. On an expiring contract, he's an easy trade candidate for Indianapolis.
DeForest Buckner - DL
Buckner wasted no time in expressing his discontent after the Colts' loss to the Titans, which has added a layer to the idea that he could be traded after the firing of Ballard. His age (32) and being in the last year of his contract fuel the notion even more, as he'd surely like to go to a contending team.
Minnesota made the decision to switch to a youth movement at defensive tackle this offseason, with two rookies and Jalen Redmond as the core pieces now.
Along with his experience, Buckner has four sacks so far this season and remains a top-tier pass rusher among his defensive tackle peers by any measure.
The Vikings, or any team that would acquire Buckner, would take on the prorated remainder of his $13 million base salary for this year, with no further commitment, of course. As of right now, at the end of Week 6, that would be $8.67 million.
Josh Downs - WR
It makes sense to see what happens coming out of the bye week, but Jauan Jennings seems to be on the outs as Minnesota's No. 3 wide receiver. Of course, the first opportunity for him to change the current narrative will come against Indianapolis on Sunday, but there will also be a chance to get a look at a potential replacement on the other team.
For some reason, the Colts never really give Downs a fully fleshed-out role in their offense. Of late, with Alex Pierce out, no less, the shell of Keenan Allen has a higher target rate in games he and Downs have had together.
As with others on this list, and as makes sense with the road Indianapolis is starting to go down, Downs is in the final year of his contract. The prorated part of his $3.924 million base salary would be no object for any team that's in the market for a wide receiver, and the Vikings are somewhere in that realm right now.
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