What the Vikings' Week 5 Win Changed About Their Trade Deadline Plans

The Vikings are coming off their most complete game of the season and are now a perfect 5-0 as they head into their Week 6 bye. With the trade deadline less than a month away, the time off will provide the perfect opportunity to examine the needs of the roster.

And as one of the few remaining undefeated teams left, Minnesota will surely be buyers, right?

Despite the unblemished record, there are still plenty of skeptics downplaying the Vikings' perfect start. As of Tuesday afternoon, Minnesota was only tied for the ninth-best Super Bowl odds (+2000)—along with the Bears, Broncos and Patriots. And yet, it's hard to find a team playing better football than the Vikings right now.

Of course, the offense was quite literally the worst in the league early on, and the combined record of the opponents the Vikings have defeated is a lowly 8-17, so there's some fair criticism.

Still, barring another 2016 collapse, the Vikings are well on their way towards a playoff berth and could look to boost the roster via trade over the next few weeks.

Potential offensive moves Vikings could make after Week 6

After the bye, Minnesota will essentially be at full strength with the likely returns of Jordan Mason, Christian Darrisaw and T.J. Hockenson. Donovan Jackson is the only offensive starter already gone for the year, but finding a starting-caliber guard is typically easier said than done. Reserve lineman Joe Huber has filled in admirably and, given time, could be a solid replacement.

Beyond that, the Vikings don't seem keen on adding another running back unless it's to give him a week-long stay on the practice squad, and Gavin Bartholomew stepped up at tight end in the absence of Josh Oliver. The only logical move appearing to be gaining steam is dealing wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who has just two catches on the year. NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that he wouldn't be surprised if the buzz increases moving forward.

From @PatMcAfeeShow: In the wake of the Marvin Harrison Jr trade, another WR whose trade market is expected to heat up is #Vikings WR Jauan Jennings. Would a #49ers reunion make sense? pic.twitter.com/DR6mY1OvYb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2026

What was supposed to be the big-ticket free-agent signing (you remember all the Golden State Warriors/Big 3 comparisons), Jennings has instead been a complete afterthought in the Vikings' offense. There are 11 other Vikings with more receiving yards than Jennings after Week 5, and right now he's getting paid a lot of money to just get in some cardio on Sundays.

While moving Jennings for a pick clearly doesn't help the 2026 Vikings, maybe it'll give them the capital to go out and get someone who does.

What defensive moves could the Vikings make?

On defense, the Vikings have been the best unit in the league through five weeks and have very few weaknesses to exploit. One looming issue, however, may be their concerning depth. Minnesota has stayed healthy so far, but if injuries rear their ugly heads, there are a lot of question marks behind the starters.

Eight of the defensive starters have played 80% of the snaps so far (h/t ESPN's Kevin Seifert), including several untested rookies who haven't needed to step up yet. Caleb Banks, Domonique Orange, Jake Golday and others have played just sparingly, and Minnesota may not be ready to give them the nod just yet.

It's certainly something to watch, and if a key starter goes down, the Vikings may look to add a veteran, especially if they continue their march toward a potential playoff run.

Verdict

Despite their record suggesting the Vikings should be buyers at the deadline, they will likely sit tight. Injuries haven't ravaged them like certain teams, and general manager Nolan Teasley has seemed very intent on holding onto his 2027 draft picks.

Apologies to the fans hoping for a splash trade, but unless a big injury hits, Jennings might be the only player on the move.

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