8 Ideal Trade Scenarios for the Minnesota Vikings This Offseason

It was only three seasons ago that the Minnesota Vikings seemed to be on the brink of becoming an elite team.

They finished the 2009 season with the second best record in the NFC, winning their second straight NFC North division title.

Now, following consecutive last place finishes in the division, they head into one of the most important offseasons in franchise history. The Vikings are seeking a new stadium, and the last thing they can afford is another disappointing season. They need to do something that provides hope for their fans.    

With the 2012 NFL salary cap to be between $121 and $125 million, and the Vikings' payroll projected to be in the neighborhood of $116 million, there is not be much room to make any splashes in the free agent arena.

That means if the Vikings are going to improve, it will be through the draft, or by making some deals.

The problem with building through the draft, it takes time for rookies to develop and contribute. Sure there are those few impact players, typically selected in the first round, that can step in and make an immediate difference.

In order to make any strides with a trade, the Vikings will have to trade away from areas of strength, or depth on their roster in order to improve other areas.

Based on how poorly the Vikings did in 2011, and with only one player to make the Pro Bowl last season, there's little in the cupboard for them to make any deals to improve in 2012.

After all, where could Rick Spielman find another Mike Lynn willing to make the same kind of deal that Lynn made when he acquired Herschel Walker from the Cowboys in 1989.

In that deal, the Vikings gave up five players for Walker, as well as three first-round draft picks, three third-round draft picks and a third- and sixth-round pick. It allowed the Cowboys to retool and produce three Super Bowl titles over six consecutive trips to the playoffs between 1991 and 1996.  

Here's a look at some trade scenarios that would be ideal for the Vikings, but perhaps not necessarily likely to occur.

Dealing with Uncertainty, Get Whatever's Possible for AP

Head coach Leslie Frazier has indicated that he will expand the role for backup running back Toby Gerhart in 2012.

Perhaps this should be all the way to the starter for the Vikings in 2012 and beyond.

There are plenty of concerns surrounding how effective Adrian Peterson will be once he makes his return from having reconstructive surgery on both the MCL and ACL of his left knee.

One thing is almost certain—Peterson will not be the same player.

Another question is whether the Vikings should make a deal and get whatever they can for the four-time Pro Bowler? 

Bleacher Report featured columnist Bill Hubbell made some very good points in favor of such a deal even before he suffered the devastating knee injury on Christmas Eve.

The problem is the Giants won the Super Bowl after finishing the season dead last in rushing, proving once again that the NFL is a quarterback league.

The best the Vikings might be able to get for the fifth-year veteran might be a second-round pick along with a couple of late round selections.

While the Giants might not be interested, perhaps another playoff-contending team would be willing to make such a deal.

Trade Away the Best Weapon to Rebuild

Since the Vikings selected Percy Harvin with the 22nd pick in the 2009 draft, he has led the team in total yards from scrimmage, averaging 1,940 receiving, rushing and return yards.

The 2009 NFL AP Offensive Rookie of the Year should be worth at least a first round and a couple of lower mid-round picks.

If the Vikings, who already will have up to 10 picks in this draft, want to trade for talent, a great situation would be receive a starting offensive lineman and a decent second- or third-year wide receiver with a promising future.

This would allow the Vikings to address a couple of needs with the flexibility to draft either cornerback or wide receiver with the third pick in the draft.

For Harvin, the Vikings would need to get an effective receiver in return like Torrey Smith from Baltimore, who had 841 receiving yard and seven touchdowns, Doug Baldwin from Seattle, who led the Seahawks with 788 yards, or Denarius Moore from Oakland, who had 618 yards and scored five touchdowns.

Trading from Their Strength—Jared Allen to the Patriots

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Jared Allen in the fourth round of the 2004 draft.

Following the 2007 season when Allen led the NFL in sacks, the Chiefs traded him to Minnesota for their 2008 first-round draft pick along with a couple of third-round picks.

In four seasons he averaged 10.7 sacks for the Chiefs.

Last season Allen set the Vikings single-season mark with 22 sacks. His NFL-leading total was only one-half sack short of the NFL record set by Michael Strahan in 2001. 

For Allen it was the second time he led the NFL in sacks. Over his four seasons with the Vikings his production has increased to 15.5 sacks per season.

Prior to the trade deadline last October there was a report that the Patriots, in need of defensive help, were interested in making a deal with the Vikings for Allen.

The Patriots, who fell one play short of winning their fourth Super Bowl, have two first-round picks in the draft and they may be willing to part with one of them for the 29-year-old Allen.

If New England is willing to include a couple of second- or third-round picks, one each over the next two seasons, it might a deal the Vikings should consider—especially if they see themselves truly in the rebuilding mode and not just one or two players from contending.

Keeping All the Weapons, Building for Now

Brian Robison benefited from having Jared Allen on the opposite end of the Vikings defensive line.

Robison finished second on the Vikings with eight sacks—his most since the Vikings drafted him in the fourth round in 2007.

Robison's $1.7 million salary in 2012 would be much more attractive than Jared Allen's $11.6 million to a team looking to improve their pass rush.

If the Vikings could get a third-round pick this year along with a late round selection for next season, they might want to consider making the deal.

It would also open a spot for Everson Griffen, who had four sacks last season for the Purple.

Trade Away Potential For...

Sticking with the strength of the Vikings roster...

On the other hand, the Vikings might want to keep both of their starting defensive ends, and dangle backup Everson Griffen as trade bait.

Griffen, who according to Tom Pelissero from ESPN 1500 radio in the Twins Cities, played in only 25.3 percent of the Vikings defensive snaps, but was fourth on the team in sacks.

He was also a force on the Vikings' special teams, finishing second with 18 tackles.

With only a $490,000 contract in 2012, several teams might be very willing to make a deal for Griffen.

If the Vikings could get a second or possibly a third-round draft pick for him, it would be a win after using their fourth-round pick to select Griffen in 2010. 

Swapping First Round Picks with Washington

If the St. Louis Rams draft USC tackle Matt Kalil, then the Vikings would be best served swapping first-round picks with the Washington Redskins, who are looking for a quarterback.

In the deal the Vikings would receive another pick, either later in the 2012 draft, or a mid-round selection in next year's draft.

With the sixth pick the Vikings would be able to draft Iowa tackle Riley Reiff, considered the second best tackle in the draft.

Provide a New Environment for Troubled Cornerback Chris Cook

There's a lot surrounding any possible moves the Vikings might consider with two-year cornerback Chris Cook. First and foremost, is the outcome of his pending trial in March for domestic assault.

Drafted in the second round by the Vikings in 2010, Cook was pegged to be one of the Vikings starting cornerbacks last season. 

While many still feel he has the potential to be a No. 1 cornerback for an NFL team, he has only been on the field for 12 games over the past two seasons for the Vikings.

The ideal scenario here is the Vikings getting anything in return for Cook. A mid to late round selection in next year's draft might be the best they could expect for the unproven corner.

Trade an Aging Veteran with Little Left in the Tank

Looking to the other corner...

Antoine Winfield, who turns 35 in June, plans to play out his current contract, which has two more years on it.

An injury to his clavicle that required surgery limited him to only five games last season. Because of a clause in the contract extension he signed in 2009, his salary will drop to $3 million from $7 million for 2012.

This might be enough of a bargain for the Vikings to hang on to the three-time Pro Bowler—all they have to do is look at the highlight from the Philadelphia game in 2010.

Of course they might consider any deal from a contending team looking to add some veteran depth at the nickel corner position.

One potential scenario would have Winfield join the Broncos in a trade for wide receiver Eric Decker. Last season Decker led the Broncos with 44 receptions and eight touchdowns for the run-first Broncos.