One of the more disappointing teams in the NFL in the early going has been the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings lost on Thursday Night Football on the road to the Philadelphia Eagles, dropping their record to 0-2 on the season; they lost Week 1 at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This is certainly not the start the Vikings were looking to get off to, but one many thought was coming. Last season’s 13-4 record is one many thought was fluky for Minnesota, who had a negative point differential and went undefeated in the regular season in one-score games.
Naturally, they lost a one-score game in the playoffs to the New York Giants. Their regular season script has been flipped thus far, as both of their losses this season have been by one score.
A lot of people are keeping an eye on the Vikings as they are a team that could become major sellers ahead of the trade deadline on October 31st. Edge rusher Danielle Hunter and quarterback Kirk Cousins are two names to keep an eye on.
Hunter had a contract dispute with the team this offseason and is likely playing out his last season with the Vikings. Cousins is also on an expiring deal and no long-term talks have been held with him.
While either of those players being moved wouldn’t be too surprising, the suggested deal that FanDeul made is truly shocking. On X, formerly known as Twitter, FanDuel posed the question, would the Vikings actually consider trading wide receiver Justin Jefferson?
They believe that Minnesota could have to hit the reset button after a 0-2 start. So they suggested a wild trade that sends Jefferson to the New England Patriots in exchange for draft capital. First-round picks in 2024 and 2025 would be heading to New England along with a 2024 third-rounder.
That would be a huge blockbuster trade that shakes up the trajectory of both franchises. The Patriots have been on the lookout for a true No. 1 receiver and it doesn’t get any better than Jefferson. He would become the go-to weapon for Mac Jones, helping everyone else fall into roles they are better suited for.
Trading Jefferson seems like a move that is bad for business for the Vikings. But, if they don’t want to sign him to the record-setting contract he has put himself in position for, trading him to the highest bidder does make some sense.
This is a move that would likely cause a revolt amongst Vikings fans. They saw long-time stars running back Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen both get released this offseason. Moving on from Jefferson is one that would assuredly alienate the fan base, but could be the best decision for the franchise if a long-term deal cannot be worked out.
