What If the Vikings Are the Team Pushing to Expand Tradable Draft Picks?

The Vikings just witnessed Sam Darnold lift the Lombardi Trophy less than a year after letting him walk in free agency. Having already stated a desire to bring in a veteran to compete with J.J. McCarthy, the organization will certainly be anxious to correct the error with a fanbase eager for it to do so. Could a potential major rule change help them in their pursuit of a big-name quarterback?

"There's going to be a push, by at least one team this offseason, to extend the NFL trade limits from three years of picks to five years of picks," said Adam Schefter on Monday's Pat McAfee Show.

There will be a push this off-season to extend the NFL trade limits from three years of draft picks to five.
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— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2026

Currently, teams are only allowed to trade picks three years down the line. It also makes it hard to avoid giving up first-round picks multiple years in a row when trying to trade for a superstar. If the rule were to be changed to five, a team might be able to spread out the picks it gives up in a blockbuster to avoid getting slammed in the draft two, three, or even four years in a row.

Such a rule change could significantly aid the Vikings in their pursuit of a big-name quarterback, a la Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, or someone else.

Schefter didn't say which team will be pushing for the rule change, but what if it's the Vikings?

We've already had reports that the Vikings would do "everything they possibly can" to make a trade for Burrow possible if he became available. However, that was followed by another report indicating Cincinnati has "no intentions" of dealing Burrow.

Now, if the Vikings had the option of increasing the number of first-round picks they could offer from two to three, or even more, they could make it really difficult for the Bengals to avoid picking up the phone.

Looking back, in 2021, the Rams traded a 2021 third-round pick and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, plus Jared Goff, to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Say the rule change goes through, Minnesota might be able to offer the Bengals a package that includes McCarthy and edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, plus a Day 2 pick and three first-round picks for Burrow.

It would be a massive price to pay, but if the Vikings truly believe they are a QB away from a Super Bowl, it might be worth it to mortgage the future the way the Rams did five years ago. The Rams won a Super Bowl and have been a contender almost every season since, so there are ways to stay competitive with a high-end quarterback and limited draft capital.

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