What does a Minnesota Vikings fire sale look like?
A loss to the 49ers on Monday night would likely force the Minnesota Vikings into sell mode ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline. A win quiets those thoughts temporarily, but what would a fire sale look like for the Vikings?
Purple Insider's Matthew Coller doesn't think Kirk Cousins and Harrison Smith are realistic trade options for a number of reasons, but he does think Danielle Hunter and K.J. Osborn would be the players most likely to be dealt.
"I know that all the TV stations like to talk about trading Kirk Cousins and the potential destinations, but I think that's still pretty far fetched," Coller said, then rattling off a bunch of reasons why trading the 35-year-old quarterback makes little sense for teams around the league.
"It's hard to figure out what destination would actually make sense and if he was going to waive his no-trade clause, and if another team would feel like it was worth it to trade for a quarterback that didn't have another year on his contract, and if they believe that he's going to be the difference from where they are to be a Super Bowl contender because you're probably giving up at least a third-round pick but could be even more to get a position that valuable. And then you have to believe that Kirk Cousins can learn your offense within a week or two weeks, which seems like quite a challenge."
Trading Smith, who has been a standout at safety in his 12th year in the NFL, also makes little sense in Coller's mind.
"I believe that he wants to retire as a Minnesota Viking and for him, they would honor that wish if that's what he wanted to do rather than trying to get a third-round pick," Coller explained.
The two players that make sense as trade candidates are Hunter and Osborn.
"With Danielle Hunter, they have not fully bought into him as far as signing him to a long-term extension. It might just be time because he, to me, is pretty valuable," Coller said. "A team could trade for him as a rental, a team could trade for him to rent and then buy and keep him for a long-term extension."
"He's a special pass rusher who could make a huge difference on any team down the stretch and into the playoffs," Coller added.
When it's all said and done and the calendar flips to November, Coller does not expect the Vikings to have acquired "franchise-changing draft capital."
"I would not expect that the Vikings, even if they trade everything, are going to walk away with franchise-changing draft capital," he said. "But it could be the difference between adding one more draft pick to trade and move up if they were to do that. It's an interesting spot to be in, where they are very likely to be a seller rather than a buyer at the deadline."
Related: Report: Vikings 'open for business' ahead of trade deadline
