The Minnesota Vikings are coming out of their Week 6 bye set to face the Indianapolis Colts, who’ve just fired their general manager, and are likely to be selling at the NFL trade deadline.
Minnesota, on the other hand, is surely going to be buying. But what could they look to add? More protection up front for Kyler Murray would make sense, and extra defensive help couldn’t hurt. But a running back is very appealing as well.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pitched a trade idea for the Vikings, one that would be an absolute no-brainer if they could actually pull it off, as they would be acquiring Philadelphia Eagles‘ superstar running back Saquon Barkley at a very affordable cost.
Vikings trade idea lands Saquon Barkley from Eagles at very affordable cost
“Vikings get: RB Saquon Barkley. Eagles get: 2027 third-round pick (with conditions),” Barnwell proposes. “At 5-0, the Vikings might very well be the team that’s actually in position to benefit from adding a star back in his prime.”
Most teams around the NFL are either not going to show interest in someone like Barkley, as they already have a good running back situation, or the cost to acquire him would be too much.
But, in the Vikings’ case, they’re 5-0 this season; their running back room is a bit suspect with Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, and someone like Barkley would make a significant difference on the offense.
Of course, the cost matters a lot as well. The Eagles won’t just give up Barkley, a beloved player who helped win them the 2024 Super Bowl. But at this proposed cost, it would be a no-brainer for Minnesota.
Minnesota has their own, and the Eagles’ third-rounder, and whichever one is higher in the draft will be the one the Eagles get if Barkley reaches 500 yards and Minnesota makes the playoffs, according to Barnwell’s trade idea.
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But there’s one more condition that could change this trade significantly: “If he runs for at least 150 yards in the playoffs and the Vikings advance to the Super Bowl, the pick gets bumped up to a second-rounder.”
While giving up a second-round pick would be a lot for a running back who’s 29 years old and might be heading towards a decline, in this instance, it would be worth it.
The Vikings would only be giving up a second-rounder in Barnwell’s view if Barkley plays well in the playoffs and the team makes the Super Bowl. Trading a second-rounder for a chance to win a Super Bowl would be well worth it for the Vikings.
So, while this might not be a realistic trade idea, this is the kind of deal that should be a no-brainer for the Vikings if they actually had a chance of pulling it off.
While it could become costly, it would only be so much if everything goes right, which would more than offset the negative feelings about a high price tag.
