The Minnesota Vikings defense has been one of the most innovative and disruptive units in the NFL, but the secondary could still benefit from some personnel upgrades.
That need is only going to grow more urgent this March when the contracts of Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore and Shaquill Griffin -- the team's top three cornerbacks -- all expire.
There could be even more turnover if defensive coordinator Brian Flores gets a head coaching job elsewhere, which should put the acquisition of an elite cover corner at the top of the Vikings' offseason to-do list.
Benjamin Solak of ESPN predicted Monday, Jan. 6, that the Cleveland Browns will look to trade three-time Pro Bowler Denzel Ward in the spring for a first-round pick. He linked the Vikings as one of the two teams most likely to be suitors in such a deal.
Cornerback Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns.
USA Today
"For my money, I expect a young, rising team to put a first-round pick on the table for Ward (Packers? Vikings?) and give the Browns the draft capital they need to aggressively rebuild," Solak wrote.
The biggest issue for Minnesota is that it has just three picks in the draft -- its own first- and fifth-round selections, as well as fifth-rounder via the Browns from an earlier trade.
It helps that Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah came up under Browns GM Andrew Berry, and the two have successfully done business before. Plus, Minnesota's top pick should fall late in the first round given their playoff appearance and potential to win multiple games in the postseason, so the value is potentially better on the Vikings' side.
Cornerback Denzel Ward of the Cleveland Browns.
ClutchPoints
That said, Ward has a history of several concussions, which renders him prone to more in the future. He's missed 21 games in his seven-year career and is entering the third season of a five-year, $100.5 million contract in 2025. Ward also turns 28 in April.
Minnesota also may not love the idea of giving away its only non-Day 3 draft pick in a trade for anyone, let alone a player with major question marks -- even if he is borderline great.
That said, if the Vikings plan to ink QB Sam Darnold to a long-term extension and trade J.J. McCarthy, they will likely be able to recoup multiple draft assets (including a first-rounder) in the process. In that case, a deal for Ward might make plenty of sense, as cornerback profiles as the team's position of greatest need heading into next season.
