The clock is ticking on 32 teams to decide if they’re buyers, sellers or standing pat at the trade deadline.
Although many won’t know for sure until completing Week 9 games, Tuesday’s 3 p.m. (CT) cutoff to acquire or trade away a player (or players) is definitely at the forefront of minds in every NFL front office.
Including the Vikings. Minnesota has already exceeded their total 2024 regular-season loss tally with four in seven games in 2025 but the team is returning starting QB J.J. McCarthy to the lineup Sunday at Detroit after a five-game injury absence. The Vikings still believe they can recover ground in a cutthroat division and ultra-competitive conference.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN thinks Minnesota is in a peculiar spot and according to him is not in a position, currently, to justify adding talent to plug roster holes and should probably shop players for draft picks.
Barnwell reasoned the Vikings could be sellers at this year’s deadline and make up for some of the aggressive moves they’ve made in the past in order to supplement draft capital for 2026 and beyond.
His best guestimation, however, could hinge on how McCarthy plays in his third career start and his first game since Sept. 14. If the 22-year-old team captain shows encouraging signs in the Lions den, Minnesota might be tempted to just stand pat or even add a complementary piece to the puzzle and take aim at a second-half swing that could launch a run to the playoffs similar to the Rams one year ago.
(Los Angeles started 1-4 in 2024 before winning nine of its final 12 regular-season games, beating the Vikings in the Wild Card Round and losing by six points to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Eagles.)
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