Four Vikings Make The Ringer's Top 90 Trade Value Rankings

With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Halloween, Sheil Kapadia of The Ringer has updated his ranking of the top 90 players in the league based on their trade value. It's an interesting exercise that Bill Simmons has done for a long time with NBA players.

These are the guidelines Kapadia used when making the list:

Contracts matter
But contracts aren’t everything
Age matters
Positional value matters
Start with the “Who says no?” principle
Rookies have to earn it

Four Vikings made it onto the most recent rankings. Danielle Hunter, the NFL sack leader whose name has been swirling in trade rumors, is listed as an honorable mention because he'd just be a half-season rental. Kirk Cousins, for the same reason, isn't even an honorable mention.

Here are the four who made it.

No. 89: OT Brian O'Neill

O’Neill has been one of the game’s best right tackles for years. Plus, he’s only 28 years old and has been extremely durable.

No. 79: WR Jordan Addison

Addison has been a solid no. 2 option in the Vikings offense. There’s a chance he puts up monster numbers with Justin Jefferson sidelined. If that happens, he’ll shoot up these rankings in the next installment.

Note: It feels like that blurb (and his ranking) may have been done before Addison's monster breakout game against the 49ers on Monday.

No. 61: OT Christian Darrisaw

I left Darrisaw off the initial list before the season because he had battled some injury issues in 2021 and 2022, but he’s stayed mostly healthy this season and has played at a high level. Young, quality left tackles on rookie contracts will always be valuable.

No. 9: WR Justin Jefferson

Jefferson’s 4,825 yards from 2020-22 are the most for any player in NFL history through the first three years of their careers. And it’s not even close. No. 2 on that list is Randy Moss—and he’s 662 yards behind Jefferson! And there’s nothing hollow about Jefferson’s numbers. He comes up big in big spots and puts the team on his back. Jefferson has missed time in 2023 with a hamstring injury, but nothing in his past suggests that durability is a real issue.

Forget simply being on a Hall of Fame trajectory. We’re talking about someone who has a good chance of being in the debate about the greatest receivers of all time (non–Jerry Rice division). Jefferson will soon likely become one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL, but given his age and production, he’ll be worth it.

Note: Micah Parsons at No. 8 is the only non-quarterback above Jefferson.

Thoughts

The main thing that jumps out at me with this ranking is that Darrisaw needs to be higher. A lot higher. I think this list reflects the reality that national fans and media haven't quite caught up to those of us who watch the Vikings closely when it comes to understanding just how incredibly good Darrisaw is. The dude is 24 years old, still on his rookie contract next year, and maybe the best offensive lineman in all of football (PFF currently has him graded as such).

Every week since his breakout last season, Darrisaw's tape shows a truly elite left tackle who is going to be one of the league's best at that position for a long time. Penei Sewell and Tristan Wirfs are Nos. 16 and 17 on this list, with Laremy Tunsil and Rashawn Slater in the top 30. Also ahead of Darrisaw are Andrew Thomas and Jordan Mailata. Based on the level at which he's playing right now, he should be much, much closer to the Sewell-Wirfs tier of tackles.

Kapadia brings up injuries with Darrisaw, which is understandable. It's true that he missed several games with a groin injury to start his rookie season and several games with multiple concussions last year. But that doesn't necessarily suggest he's at an elevated risk of injury moving forward. Darrisaw has a new helmet this season that is specifically engineered to prevent concussions.

I also think O'Neill and Addison could be a bit higher, especially after the latter's performance against the 49ers. Jefferson in the top ten is accurate.

Those four guys, all of whom play premium positions on offense, are pieces the Vikings will look to build around moving forward.

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