At first glance, any idea that involves the Minnesota Vikings somehow landing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers is perceived as extremely unlikely. However, some of the best trades in NFL history have been the ones that have caught almost everyone by surprise.
Aiyuk ending up with the Vikings before the start of the 2024 season would definitely be shocking, but it's still not something that should be completely ruled out as an actual possibility, especially after what was revealed on Tuesday.
According to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo on Tuesday, Aiyuk has officially made his request to the 49ers to trade him to another team. Could that team ultimately end up being Minnesota?
Minnesota Vikings send Jordan Addison and more to San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk in trade proposal
Considering the trouble that Vikings receiver Jordan Addison recently got himself in, the timing of Aiyuk's trade request is certainly interesting. If Minnesota could figure out a way to move on from Addison by including him in a trade package that would result in the acquisition of Aiyuk, that's a deal that the Vikings would have to seriously consider.
Below is what a potential trade might look like if Minnesota and San Francisco swapped the two young receivers.
Trade Proposal
Vikings Get:
Brandon Aiyuk - WR
2025 seventh-round pick
49ers Get:
Jordan Addison - WR
2026 first-round pick
2025 fifth-round pick
The goal of this trade for the Vikings would be to figure out a way to complete a deal for Aiyuk without having to give up their 2025 first-round pick to the 49ers.
That might be difficult to do, as other teams attempting to trade for Aiyuk might include a 2025 first-round selection in their offers. But it also really just depends what San Francisco is looking for in return for moving on from one of its top wide receivers.
Including Addison in the deal might be something that makes Minnesota's trade offer more enticing than others.
Instead of the 49ers having to wait for an entire season to use whatever draft compensation they might acquire from another team in a trade for Aiyuk, the Vikings would not only be giving them a first-round pick in 2026, but they would also be sending over a player in Addison who could make an immediate impact for San Francisco in 2024.
One of the biggest factors in all of this, of course, is the fact that Aiyuk is still looking to sign a new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
With Minnesota just signing star wide receiver Justin Jefferson to a monster $140 million contract extension, giving Aiyuk a new deal that also possibly pays him close to $30 million per season is something that many believe Minnesota probably wants nothing to do with.
However, the way in which the Vikings' roster is currently constructed could give them the ability to afford to pay both Aiyuk and Jefferson more than $30 million per year for several seasons.
By drafting former Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy earlier this year, Minnesota is hoping to be able to take advantage of the rookie quarterback's cheap contract during the next few seasons. Trading for Aiyuk and signing him to an extension is exactly the type of major move that the Vikings could make by having a starting quarterback on a rookie contract.
Minnesota can also expect the NFL's salary cap to continue to increase every year as it has in the last few offseasons. The salary cap increases might not be as large as the one this past offseason (went from $224.8 million in 2022 to $255.4 this year), but they should still make a possible extension for Aiyuk easier to swallow.
Trading for Aiyuk would also be an investment in McCarthy, the Vikings' next potential face of the franchise. Addison is a solid player, but Aiyuk has already proven during his short career that he can play in the NFL at a very high level, and he would make the life of the young Minnesota quarterback that much easier during the next few seasons.
So, sure, a deal like this still seems like a long shot. But in order for the Vikings to achieve a goal that they never have in the history of their franchise by winning a Super Bowl trophy, they have to be aggressive with their roster construction and make moves that the fan base is not used to the team making.
A trade for Aiyuk would be one of these moves.