Wheeling and Dealing: Tracking Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's Draft-Day Trades
Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman became known as Trader Rick over the years because of his propensity for making trades during the NFL draft, usually moving back and accumulating extra picks.
Spielman was fired this offseason and replaced by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. If his first draft is any indication, Adofo-Mensah might even be on another level when it comes to wheeling and dealing.
Roughly an hour into Saturday's Day 3, Adofo-Mensah had already made six total trades, beginning with Thursday night's somewhat polarizing move back from 12 to 32. I haven't confirmed this, but I'm 99 percent sure no other team has made more trades than the Vikings have at this point. By the time you're reading this, they might've already made another one.
Let's recap all six trades the Vikings have made so far. I'll update this if more take place.
Day 1, Trade 1
- Vikings trade: Picks 12 and 46
- Lions trade: Picks 32, 34, and 66
This was obviously the most high-profile of the trades because it happened in the first round. It was shocking to see the Vikings trade with a division rival and move as far back as they did, but they ended up getting a player they're really high on at 32 in Georgia safety Lewis Cine. At 12, the Lions selected Alabama WR Jameson Williams. The value charts were split on who won this one; traditional charts favored the Lions and new, nerdy charts favored the Vikings.
Day 2, Trade 2
- Vikings trade: Pick 34
- Packers trade: Picks 53 and 59
This one was shocking too. Another move of nearly 20 spots and another deal with an NFC North rival (this time a competitive one) that allowed them to come up and take a wide receiver. Green Bay grabbed NDSU's Christian Watson for Aaron Rodgers here. Still, the Vikings clearly won this deal based on the value of trading one second-round pick for two.
Day 2, Trade 3
- Vikings trade: Picks 53, 77, 192
- Colts trade: Picks 42, 122
After moving back, the Vikings came up and got Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., who has a chance to be a steal. He was a first-round talent who fell mostly due to his injury history. The charts likely favored the Colts in this deal, but the Vikings loved the player they added at their biggest position of need. And on the aggregate, their two second-round trades looked quite good.
The Vikings stayed put and made their next two picks at 59 (LSU G Ed Ingram) and 66 (Oklahoma LB Brian Asamoah). We didn't know what we were in for on Day 3.
Day 3, Trade 4
- Vikings trade: Pick 156, 2023 fourth-round pick
- Browns trade: Pick 118
To kick off Day 3, the Vikings once again moved up to get their guy at cornerback, taking Mizzou's Akayleb Evans. He's a long, athletic CB who has significant upside if he can improve his ball skills and discipline. I don't like that the Vikings gave up next year's fourth-rounder just to move up 38 spots, though. Adofo-Mensah trading with his former boss and mentor in Browns GM Andrew Berry is a fun subplot.
Day 3, Trade 5
- Vikings trade: Picks 122, 250
- Raiders trade: Picks 126, 227
This one was pretty irrelevant. Moving back four spots in the fourth to move up 23 spots in the seventh is just...whatever.
Day 3, Trade 6
- Vikings trade: Pick 126
- Raiders trade: Picks 165, 169
Just when I thought the Vikings would actually make their pick at 126, they flipped it for two fifth-rounders in a second consecutive trade with the Raiders. This was the moment when I just started laughing because of the sheer volume of these trades. That was three trades in the first hour of Saturday's action.
As of now, the Vikings hold picks 165, 169, 184, 191, and 227.
If more trades end up happening — and there's no reason to believe they won't — I'll keep adding the details to this story.
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