5 players the Vikings could trade for before Week 1 of the 2023 season

New York Jets DL Quinnen Williams
New York Jets DL Quinnen Williams | Benjamin Solomon/GettyImages
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Jourdan Lewis - CB (Dallas Cowboys)

Jourdan Lewis is the odd man out in Dallas; Jerry Jones made a big move this offseason to bring in former All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore to team with Trevon Diggs. 2022 fifth-round draft pick DaRon Bland looked like an upgrade over Lewis with his performance in relief of the former Michigan Wolverine.

Lewis, however, brings a ton of experience to one of the more difficult positions to play on the defensive side of the ball; the nickel/slot. Since 2020, Lewis has been the Cowboys' go-to slot corner, and while he hasn't blown anyone away with his performances, his experience could be extremely valuable to Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores' defense in 2023.

With the way Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell have constructed their roster this offseason, you get the sense that newly signed free-agent cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. is going to man the slot while a number of younger, more inexperienced guys battle it out for the two outside corner positions.

By bringing in Lewis, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores can move Murphy to the outside and put him on an island against some of the league's best receivers. As well as not having to teach young inexperienced corners how to play the slot, Lewis can come in and make the transition a seamless one.

Lewis shouldn't cost anything more than a sixth or seventh-round pick, and he would only carry a cap hit of around $4.7 million. Don't forget, he's still 27 years old and a former highly thought-of prospect that has not exactly worked out, which falls under the exact criteria for what Adofo-Mensah looks for in a player.

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