All-Pro safety suggested as a Vikings trade target before deadline

If the Minnesota Vikings are going to be buyers before this season's trade deadline next Tuesday, should they target a guy like Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker?

It's almost unbelievable how much one win can completely turn around a season for a team in the NFL, and for the Minnesota Vikings, this is what they are currently experiencing with the trade deadline now just a few days away.

Before their win over the San Francisco 49ers this past Monday, most viewed the Vikings as a team that would be looking to unload as many players as they could before this season's trade deadline.

But after defeating the 49ers, and with a favorable schedule ahead of them, Minnesota is now being viewed as a team that could potentially look to actually add some players to their roster before the trade deadline next Tuesday.

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker suggested as a trade target for the Minnesota Vikings

If they earn their third straight win and improve their record to 4-4 on Sunday by defeating the Green Bay Packers, one should expect the Vikings to make some attempts at acquiring a new player or multiple new players before this season's trade deadline on October 31.

One of the players Minnesota might target in a potential trade could be two-time First-Team All-Pro Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker. The Star Tribune's Andrew Krammer recently suggested Baker as a possibility for the Vikings if they become buyers for this year's trade deadline.

"If acquiring talent, I'd expect the Vikings to continue seeking players with plenty of NFL years left. Why not 27-year-old safety Budda Baker for a splash? Baker reportedly asked for a trade last offseason and could be a long-term Harrison Smith replacement.”

While Baker is still a talented defender who doesn't appear to be at the tail end of his pro career just yet, a safety, especially a veteran safety, doesn't seem like the type of player Minnesota would be looking to add to their roster before this season's trade deadline.

Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum are currently the Vikings' two starting safeties, and they are both having tremendous seasons. Heading into Week 8, Bynum has the fourth-best defensive grade from PFF among qualifying safeties, and Smith has the 15th-best defensive grade.

Next on the depth chart is Josh Metellus, who Minnesota just signed to a multi-year contract extension right before the start of the regular season, and he currently has the 33rd-best defensive grade from PFF among qualifying safeties.

If someone wanted to make a case for adding a player who would be a better option as the Vikings' current No. 4 safety on their depth chart, then that might be a more believable possibility. But Minnesota wouldn't be giving up assets to acquire Baker so that he could come in and be their fourth safety.

Unless the Vikings are sending Bynum or Smith in a package to acquire Baker, a trade for the Cardinals safety wouldn't make a ton of sense for Minnesota this season, and with how well the Vikings' two starting safeties are playing this year, it would be shocking if they parted with either one of them before next Tuesday's trade deadline.