3 reasons why the Vikings could regret the Za'Darius Smith trade

Former Minnesota Vikings OLB Za' Darius Smith
Former Minnesota Vikings OLB Za' Darius Smith / Eric Espada/GettyImages
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The Vikings should have made the trade earlier

As we mentioned in the introduction, everyone knew the Vikings and Za'Darius Smith were parting ways back in April. Although the Vikings were likely trying to find a trade partner and a way to keep him away from other teams in the conference, they wound up passing an opportunity to add another impact player.

Take a look at the secondary, which features Byron Murphy Jr. and a lot of unproven players. While Andrew Booth Jr. and Akayleb Evans could make a second-year leap, it’s not a given that those two will be better than they were a year ago. Other rookies, such as Mekhi Blackmon, could have a learning curve coming into the league, which could enhance the need for veteran reinforcements.

Even the trenches could have used the money created by Smith’s departure. The defensive line is currently a mystery, with Harrison Phillips the only lock for a starting job, and the offensive line could use depth after seeing Chris Reed struggle as a third-string center toward the end of last season.

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Put it all together, and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could be kicking himself that he didn’t make this trade sooner.

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