On the OL, the front office signed two former Indianapolis Colts, 31-year-old center Ryan Kelly and 26-year-old guard, Will Fries. While those signings answered some serious questions on the offensive trenches, it also begged a few questions, like what the MN Vikings planned to do with 6-year starting center, Garrett Bradbury and 2022 2nd round pick, Ed Ingram. On Thursday afternoon, we got answers to both of those questions.

Minnesota Vikings trade Ed Ingram, set to release Garret Bradbury

First, news broke from NFL Network that the Vikings were trading 26-year-old Ed Ingram to the Houston Texans for a 6th round draft pick. Shortly after that, Adam Schefter (ESPN) reported that Kwesi & Co are trying to do the same with 2019 1st round pick, Garrett Bradbury, but that they plan to release the 29-year-old NC State alum, if a trade partner cannot be found.

Trade: #Vikings guard Ed Ingram is being traded to the #Texans, sources say, as Houston continued to rework their offensive line.

The former 2nd rounder from LSU is on the move, thanks in part to Minnesota spending big on OL in free agency. pic.twitter.com/exNF247ZOg

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2025

Minnesota is planning to release its 2019 first-round pick Garrett Bradbury unless a trade can be worked out, per sources.

Bradbury’s standing was altered after the Vikings signed former Colts Pro-Bowl center Ryan Kelly. pic.twitter.com/grjjLV747U

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2025

Garrett Bradbury has started all 88 games of his NFL career. He’s always had the mental capacity to be a really good center, but he’s just never had the strength and size to hold off the biggest, baddest defensive tackles, something that has regularly become a problem for the Minnesota Vikings during his career.

Last year, Bradbury finished the season with a 62.1 PFF grade (70.7 RBLK, 48.2 PBLK), grades that are extremely consistent with what he has shown his entire career. Garrett’s best season, according to PFF, was 2022, when he graded a 70.2 on offense, 72.4 RBLK and 67.1 PBLK.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Interested in Former OPOY

Ed Ingram is one of the most disappointing draft picks of the 2022 class, which is saying something. Ingram has always had the talent and the size, but could never put it all together with the Minnesota Vikings. He is only 26-years-old, which probably tells us why Kwesi found it easier to get draft pick compensation for his services, than that of Garrett Bradbury’s.

In total, Ingram started 41 of the 48 games he played in purple. PFF hated him even more than Bradbury. In 2024, Ingram posted the worst PFF Grades of his career, with a 54.0 offense grade, 58.1 RBLK grade and 49.1 PBLK grade. During his three NFL seasons, Ingram never pushed his PFF grade over 59.5.

Raiders trade for Geno Smith; Seahawks interested in Sam Darnold

But while QB questions linger locally, the same can no longer be said in Las Vegas, after the Raiders traded a third round pick to the Seattle Seahawks Friday evening for 34-year-old former second round pick, Geno Smith, who is now expected to sign a multi-year deal worth $40-$45 million per year, once he lands in the desert.

Geno Smith is being traded to Las Vegas Raiders for a third round pick, per sources. pic.twitter.com/vmdvtueBgE

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2025

This trade officially rules out any chance of recent McCarthy trade rumors between the Raiders and Vikings coming true, not that dealing JJ was ever a realistic outcome in the first place. But this move between Vegas and Seattle shakes the market here in Minnesota, in more ways than one.

There was enough to unpack with this deal immediately upon its announcement, but before anyone had time to process what had happened, multiple reports were already breaking noting heavy interest from a now QB-less Seahawks, in former Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold.

Related: Schefter No Longer Buying Sam Darnold + Vikings Rumors

Now that Seattle is showing even more love for Sam than the Raiders were, it appears even less likely Darnold finds a depressed market next week when he hits free agency, meaning a return to the Vikings becomes even less likely.

QB Sam Darnold’s market has been all over the map the last 24 hours. Once it became known that Seattle was interested in trading with the Las Vegas Raiders last night for Geno Smith, Darnold’s market improved.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 8, 2025

As Sam Darnold is set to become a free agent next week, he now is expected to have another option available to him: the Seattle Seahawks, who are trading Geno Smith to the Raiders.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2025

I wrote earlier Friday about the Raiders’ reported interest in JJ McCarthy, should recent reports tying Sam Darnold back to Minnesota on a long-term contract actually come true, something ESPN’s Adam Schefter believed was becoming less and less likely by the hour, when he spoke with KFAN’s Paul Allen this morning.

Geno Smith trade proves the Minnesota Vikings dropped ball on Sam Darnold

Then, there’s the compensation Seattle got in return for Geno Smith, a third round pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. You might remember, that’s the same compensation the Minnesota Vikings needed to get, in order to make a Sam Darnold tag and trade worth the hassle.

Because Kwesi & Co weren’t sure Sam could fetch that on the open market, if they tagged him, they instead decided to let him walk to free agency, in hopes of being rewarded a 2026 late 3rd round comp pick.

Report: Nobody Knows Who is Calling the Shots for Vikings

But if a middling mid-30’s QB like Geno Smith is worth a 3rd round draft pick, like he was traded for Friday, then whoever is running the Vikings should have gotten way more than that for a 27-year-old Darnold, coming off of an MVP season, and who has more arm talent in his right pinky than Smith does in his entire soul.

But no. Instead, the Minnesota Vikings will watch Sam Darnold negotiate with other teams starting Monday, where he will likely get a deal worth more than whatever Geno signs this weekend in Vegas, which he expects to be $40-$45 million per season. And it might even be Geno’s old team that swaps in Darnold.

Friday’s QB trade and rising interest in Sam Darnold also means that the MN Vikings will probably be on the hunt come Monday, for a competent veteran QB to pair with JJ McCarthy. Hopefully, Daniel Jones…?

If we believe what the Vikings are selling us, then gone (supposedly) are the days where we watch Ed Ingram, Dalton Risner and Blake Brandel fail to open holes for Vikings running backs and get bowled over by more talented defensive tackles.

So too, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, are weekends where defensive coordinator Brian Flores has to constantly scheme up unimaginable blitz packages and hide box numbers every week, in order to get pressure on the QB and slow opposing running backs.

But, it appears we will have to wait until the free agency negotiating period begins on March 10, before we learn who the Minnesota Vikings will upgrade with. The same cannot be said for the Chicago Bears, though, who also entered the offseason with major issues on their interior offensive line. Not anymore.

Chicago Bears trade for two top offensive guards – Minnesota Vikings choose patience

They were not willing to wait until bidding wars get started next week. Instead, the Bears have completed trades for two guards — Jonah Jackson (Rams) Joe Thuney (Chiefs). Jackson was given permission to seek a trade out of LA last week, and did just that. The Thuney trade is a bit more surprising, but he too is entering the final year of his current deal.

In 24 hours, the Bears now have agreed to trade a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Rams for Jonah Jackson and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Chiefs for Joe Thuney.

Bears are sparing no expense to protect Caleb Williams. pic.twitter.com/IW1OLfdfVJ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2025

Bears trade 4th round pick for Joe Thuney

Joe Thuney is 32 years old. He is a former 3rd round pick of the New England Patriots back in 2016. Since being drafted, he has been one of the best and most reliable guards in the NFL for two different teams. Since his sophomore season, Thuney has never posted a PFF grade lower than 74.4.

Related: New Perfect Fit Trade Targets Come Available for Vikings

Last season, he got an 80.0 overall grade, his second best ever. Thuney has a massive $26.9 million cap hit this season, the final year of his current five-year $80 million contract, but it’s very possible he and the Bears work out an extension before the offseason is over.

Bears trade 6th round pick for Jonah Jackson

Jonah Jackson, 28, is a former third round pick by the Detroit Lions, so he has familiarity in the NFC North. In 2024, after signing a three-year, $51 million contact with the Rams last offseason, he ended up playing just four games because he was usurped on the roster by second-year guard out of TCU, Steve Avila.

Jackson has a $14.6 million cap hit in 2025. The Bears are banking on Jackson’s falling out with the Rams as more of a credit to Avila, than a detriment on Jackson, but that has yet to be proven. In week 18 last season vs the Seahawks, Jonah Jackson was on a mission to prove he’s a starter, posting a 91.8 PFF grade, which may have helped convince the Bears to deal for him.

We’ll find out who did the right thing, in time. But the Minnesota Vikings don’t have much of a choice, other than patience. They do not have much for draft capital to trade away, even if they wanted to pull a move like what the Bears did. There’s no doubting whose O-line currently looks better, though.

Minnesota Vikings trade deadline recap

In the end, they were both. First, they broke the internet a little bit when they traded for 28-year-old QB, Josh Dobbs, to help fill up the void left in the QB room by Kirk Cousins’ injury.

Then, after buying on Dobbs, GM Kwesi-Adofo Mensah dealt away one of the better left guards in the league, Ezra Cleveland, to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 2024 6th round pick.

Here are our full breakdowns on each trade:

• Cardinals Trade QB Josh Dobbs to Vikings for Late Round Pick Swap
• Vikings Trade Ezra Cleveland to Jaguars for 6th Round Pick

Vikings add QB security with Josh Dobbs

The first thing the Vikings did on Tuesday, before the trade deadline, was solidify some depth at quarterback, after losing Kirk Cousins to a season-ending Achilles tear.

To do that, they swapped their 6th round pick in April for the Arizona Cardinals 7th round pick, in order to acquire the quarterback who has started all eight games for them this season, Josh Dobbs.

Here are all of new #Vikings QB Josh Dobbs’ scoring plays this year so far. Make no mistake, this guy can play. #SKOL #NFLTradeDeadline pic.twitter.com/0w9zZTd8Ka

— Joshua Anderson (@Josh_Anderson_3) October 31, 2023

Dobbs was available for clearance prices because the Cardinals are expected to activate Kyler Murray off injured reserve and they just drafted a young QB, Clayton Tune, last April. Dobbs isn’t a cinch starter for the Vikings and he’ll sit behind rookie QB, Jaren Hall, this weekend vs the Atlanta Falcons.

But, Dobbs brings a lot of experience in multiple different NFL offensive systems. He went to school to be a rocket scientist, so the Vikings hope he can catch on quickly.

We’ll see if Dobbs ever starts a game for the Vikings, with Hall getting the first crack at starting, post 2023 Kirk Cousins, and Nick Mullins set to come off IR in a couple of weeks. Even if he doesn’t, Kwesi & Co were smart to add valuable depth to a now raw position.

Ezra Cleveland traded for 6th round pick

Trade rumors have been circulating around Ezra Cleveland since this offseason. He’s on the final year of his rookie contract and has never really been expected to stick around this offseason.

Still, trading one of the better offensive guards in the league, when he’s only in his mid-20’s, is risky. That especially holds true when you only get a 6th round pick, in return. Obviously, the Vikings were motivated to deal Cleveland and nothing was going to stop it from happening, even a lackluster haul back.

If the Minnesota Vikings interior offensive line deals with any injury issues through the end of the season, or if Ezra becomes a decade-long rock on someone else’s offensive line, this deal will reflect poorly on Kwesi-Adofo Mensah.

Danielle Hunter stays put

The Danielle Hunter situation seemed to be trending this way, the last couple weeks, after the Vikings put together their current three game win streak. Kwesi wasn’t completely against dealing the NFL’s sack leader today but they needed something better than a 2nd round pick, to get it done, an offer they never received.

Thus, Hunter will remain in Minnesota for the rest of the 2023-24 season, before the Vikings either find a way to ink him long term or he leaves via free agency.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Vikings trade Ezra Cleveland to Jaguars

The #Vikings are trading standout guard Ezra Cleveland to the #Jaguars, per me, @TomPelissero and @MikeGarafolo. One of the better young players at his position, Cleveland moves on to beef up another O-line in exchange for a third-day draft pick. pic.twitter.com/uTItO1ECnE

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 31, 2023

I guess this one surprisdes me a little bit. Not the deal, itself, because I wrote over the weekend about how likely it was that Cleveland had played his final game as a Viking. What I’m a bit surprised by is the return Kwesi-Adofo Mensah was able to get for Ezra, who grades out as one of the better offensive guards in all of football.

Hell, we just gave up nearly the same thing for Josh Dobbs, who will hopefully only play QB for the rest of this season and then never step foot on a regular season field with a Vikings jersey on ever again. If Minnesota could have found a trade partner that Cleveland could have signed long term with, then he will be an offensive line staple for the next decade.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The deal was struck with the Arizona Cardinals, for QB Josh Dobbs, who has started all eight games for them this season. To get the job done, Kwesi sent a 6th round pick in 2024, in return for Dobbs and the Cardinals 7th round pick.

Related: There’s Almost No Chance Vikings Trade Danielle Hunter Today

Cardinals trade Josh Dobbs to Vikings

The #Vikings are trading for #AZCardinals QB Josh Dobbs, with plenty of starting experience, per me and @TomPelissero.

It helps make up for the loss of Kirk Cousins. And gives MIN a chance… pic.twitter.com/TUEnTemakr

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 31, 2023

Cardinals traded Dobbs and 7th-round pick to the Vikings for a 6th-round pick, per sources. https://t.co/L5LfjbdjWV

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 31, 2023

Dobbs is a 28-year-old 4th year QB who has started 10 NFL games, 8 of them this season. His stats are mediocre, at best, but hype has been building around him as this season has moved along, thanks to the starting role he’s enjoyed, in wake of Kyler Murray’s injury.

But, with Kyler’s return now imminent, the Cardinals feel comfortable shipping Dobbs to the Vikings. To go along with his 1,569 yards, 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, Dobbs has 333 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns on the season.

The trade makes sense for the Vikings. It adds a relatively young but still grizzled veteran to a position that has none, with Nick Mullins on IR and Sean Mannion on the practice squad.

Even better, it didn’t cost anything more than dropping down in day three of the draft when names are scrolling so fast across the dial that people watching lost track hours ago. Dobbs is under contract for the rest of the 2023-24 season. The Vikings are his 4th NFL team.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Cam Akers Trade Official after Passing Physical

On Thursday afternoon, the deal was officially consummated, after Akers flew into Minneapolis and passed a physical at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. To make room on the 53-man roster, the Vikings sent Jalen Nailor to injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

RB Cam Akers has passed his physical to complete the trade with the Rams.

WR Jalen Nailor has been placed on IR. pic.twitter.com/JIgmc7hpki

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 21, 2023

Minnesota Vikings determined to get better after 0-2 start

Credit to our friend, Darren “Doogie” Wolfson, who checked on the possibility that the Vikings might be interested in Akers, earlier in the week. When he didn’t hear anything back from his contacts at TCO Performance Center, his antennas were immediately up.

Related: Danielle Hunter’s Hot Start Means Everything for Vikings Defense, His Pocketbook

The Minnesota Vikings hope that Cam Akers can slide in next to Alexander Mattison and split RB1 carries eventually. His familiarity with head coach Kevin O’Connell and offensive coordinator, Wes Phillips should only help him in learning the offense.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needed to beef up the Vikings rushing attack, after gaining just 63 yards on the ground in two games, dead last in the NFL. Akers and Risner may not be able to help in significant fashion vs the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend, but looking ahead, both position groups improved in a big way this week.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The #Vikings have solved their TE issue, as they are trading for promising #Jets TE Chris Herndon in exchange for draft pick compensation, sources say. Agent @malkikawa later confirmed the deal. Herndon steps right in following Irv Smith’s knee injury.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2021

To facilitate the Chris Herndon trade, the #Jets paid him a roughly $1.4 million signing bonus, while the #Vikings will pay only the $920,000 minimum salary. So in essence, New York trades Herndon, a 6th-round pick and a little cash for a 4th, and Minnesota gets TE help cheap. https://t.co/PKNOcBMGNh

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2021

Hopefully, Herndon has grown out of his injury and suspension-riddled past. Even if he has, the questions surrounding him are aplenty. If you read and poke around on one side of the internet, you’ll find that Chris Herndon’s problems were mostly because of bad luck and Adam Gase’ lack of coaching ability. But if you look elsewhere, you’ll see Herndon’s career described as disappointing and underachieving, with nobody to blame but himself.

Not Good for Irv…

It seems like just a few days ago that Irv Smith Jr had his best preseason performance of the year and was optimistic with media afterward, about where the Minnesota Vikings offense was heading in 2021. Wait… that’s because it was.

Now, it’s difficult to view this trade as anything other than an attempt to sure up a suddenly flimsy tight end position, due to negative news incoming on Irv Smith Jr’s surprise MCL injury. Most of what we had heard, regarding the tight ends leading up to last weekend, was positive.

Nobody was expecting any moves to be made targeting tight ends. So what changed? Irv Smith Jr’s status as a HEALTHY TE1 option for most of the season, maybe? We’ll know shortly, I’d imagine.

Cuts Cuts Cuts

NFL Teams are rounding out their rosters this afternoon and the Minnesota Vikings have made a number of moves over the last hour. They cut Dakota Dozier, Hercules Mata’afa, Dru Samia and Jake Browning, among the many others (per Chris Tomasson (Pioneer Press).

The most shocking cuts came a couple hours after the first round were already announced. Apparently, these things get crazier as the night goes on because Everson Griffen, who the Vikings just signed last week, and Ameer Abdullah were just announced as being cut casualties.

The Vikings cut Everson Griffen according to the waiver wire. Surprise move.

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 31, 2021

#Vikings release RB Ameer Abdullah.

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) August 31, 2021

The biggest surprise keep was Dan Chisena, who most had left off their projected 53-man roster.

Zim and Spielman must’ve decided that his special teams play was too important to lose. DT Jalyn Holmes and K Greg Joseph (for now) appear to have made the final cuts as well.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Good evening everyone! While all of you were watching the presidential debate, I was thinking about how quickly the Minnesota Vikings roster is going to get blown up. Much like politics, that answer depends on how much you trust the words that flow from Rick Spielman’s mouth.

It doesn’t sound like Rick Spielman & Co are interested in a full rebuild, given what the Vikings GM told media earlier today. Don’t expect to see the likes of Adam Thielen or Harrison Smith traded away, though he mentioned one by name today and not the other.

When asked about whether he has an aversion to the word "rebuild," Spielman noted how the team has Smith Jr., Thielen, Jefferson & Cook.

"I don’t know if you call that a rebuild or not … we want to win as many games as we can and that’s going to be our objective for the year"

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) October 22, 2020

For now, I’m going to assume Spielman’s intentions with this trade deadline stay the same between now and November 3. The Vikings won’t play another game before the deadline so there shouldn’t be anything that alters their current plan of action. Just because Rick won’t call this season a “rebuild”, doesn’t mean he’s going to stand pat. Some trades just make too much sense to avoid for a team that isn’t very good.

Trades You Should Expect to Happen

Riley Reiff | Compensation: 4th Round Pick

Reiff is being shopped harder tonight by Rick Spielman, than my angry wife trying to win Super Market Sweep. Teams all over the league need competent offensive lineman and Reiff is having possibly the best year of his career. The Titans are an option that’s been floating around all day, after their LT, Taylor Lewan, was sidelined for the season with a torn ACL.

The Vikings forced Riley into a paycut before the season and he’s not expected to return in 2021. Get what you can and move on. This would also give Ezra Cleveland the rest of the season to hone his skills at the position the Vikings envision him filling, left tackle.

Kyle Rudolph | Compensation: 5th Round Pick

If someone calls Spielman and offers a 5th round pick for Kyle Rudolph, he’d be gone before Rick could get the phone to his ear. Rudolph is in the middle of a contract that, after this season, has a lot of options for the team that employs him. With Irv Smith Jr already taking over the reigns, I don’t see that team residing in Minnesota.

Kyle Rudolph has been a face of this franchise for many years and a stand-up human, by all accounts. Hopefully he can land somewhere he has a chance to contribute to a Super Bowl run.

Anthony Harris | Compensation: 3rd Round Pick

We’ve been talking about trading Anthony Harris for what feels like decades. Unless the Minnesota Vikings plan to offer a contract they weren’t willing to offer last offseason, we may have finally seen the last of Harris in purple.

Anthony Harris is a bit trickier because, if the Vikings were to wait out the season and then let him walk in free agency, he’d garner the largest compensatory pick, likely a 3rd rounder. But that comp pick would be for the 2022 draft and not the 2021 draft. Can they get a 2021 3rd for him? If so, I think he’s gone.

Trades That Would Surprise Me

Adam Thielen: Spielman mentioned Adam by name, as a reason why he won’t call 2020 a “rebuild”. Unless Minnesota changes their tune and turns toward a full-on tank job, I don’t see Thielen leaving his home state.

Harrison Smith: Here’s another guy who would make a whole lot of sense to unload, if the Vikings were ready to admit they are in rebuild mode (tank mode). If they aren’t, it seems more likely that Smith gets a new contract this offseason that will lessen his cap hit for 2021, while making him richer since he’s one of the best safeties in the NFL still (at age 32).

Eric Kendricks: I could just put my replies to these on repeat. Kendricks is another defensive staple that the Vikings will need around if their turnaround is going to be done in an expedited manner. Unless Spielman is lying to us (wouldn’t be the first time), we’ll see Kendricks in purple for the foreseeable future.

WTF Just Happened Trades

Kirk Cousins: The biggest problem with trading or dropping Kirk Cousins, which has been discussed at length, is his contract. Would anyone take on a contract that they can’t get out of without paying Kirk Cousins a butt-load of money?

The Minnesota Vikings are essentially sitting on their hands until June 1, 2021. At that point, moving him starts to make more sense but still won’t be easy. Because of that, I expect Kirk to stick on roster for the rest of this season. The 2021 draft (April) could dictate what happens with Kirk before next season.

If the Vikings land a top-5 pick and draft a QB, who knows what they would do next.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

The Minnesota Vikings have made a major move this morning, acquiring defensive end Yannick Ngakoue from the Jacksonville Jaguars, for a 2021 second-round and a conditional 2022 first-round pick that could go as high as a third-round selection, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Jaguars agreed to trade franchise DE Yannick Ngakoue to Minnesota for a second- and conditional fifth-round pick that could go as high a third-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Ngakoue still has to sign his tender, but trade is in place and Ngakoue is expected to be a Viking.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2020

Last season, Ngakoue forced 4 fumbles, had 41 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks. The Vikings now have two elite defensive ends with Ngakoue opposite of Danielle Hunter. This sures up one of about three major issues with Mike Zimmer’s defense. After this acquisition, this defensive line is one of the scariest in the NFL.

Ngakoue has been wanting out of Jacksonville for quite a while and he even agreed to a pay cut, to facilitate the trade to Minnesota. He is expected to see a $5M drop in 2020 salary, from $17.8 million to around $12 or $13 million.

The Vikings and DE Yannick Ngakoue worked overnight on an adjustment to his franchise tender, landing at a little under $13 million. That's down from $17.778 million. And Minnesota made clear its intention to do a long-term deal in '21.

So … Ngakoue REALLY wanted out of Jax.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 30, 2020

Maybe the Twins can now jump on the blockbuster trade wagon later today. Their deal-making window expires tomorrow and they need more help than the Vikings…

Cooper Carlson | Minnesota Sports Fan