NFL Teams Weigh Options as Trade Deadline Looms
MINNEAPOLIS – With the NFLโฃ trade โdeadline โrapidly approaching at 3 p.m.โ CT on Tuesday, teams areโ evaluating whetherโ to โขbuy, โsell, or remain โstationary.The Minnesotaโ Vikings, currently 4-7, find themselves at a critical juncture, a situation complicated โฃby the return of starting โคquarterback J.J.โ McCarthy from a five-game injury absence.
Despite exceeding their entire 2024 regular-seasonโ loss total (four losses in โคseven gamesโ compared to the full 2024โ season), the โVikings believe โthay can still contend inโฃ a highly competitive division and conference. However, ESPN’s Bill barnwell suggests Minnesota is currently better positioned toโ be โฃsellers, potentially trading โplayers for โdraft picks to replenish capital forโ 2026โฃ and beyond.โ
Barnwell detailed โขhis โฃreasoning โin an ESPN article, arguing the Vikings โฃcould offset past aggressive roster moves by accumulating draft assets.โ Rams‘ 2024 run.
Theโฃ Rams, after startingโ 1-4โฃ in 2024, won nine of their finalโ 12 regular-season games, defeated the Vikings in the Wild Card Round, and ultimately lostโ to the Philadelphia Eagles – the eventual Super Bowl โChampions – by a narrow six-point margin.