In his 21 months as the Minnesota Vikings general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown a great willingness to trade. He’s shown that willingness in his two drafts. He’s also shown a willingness to trade for particular players that come available. This is a revisit of Adofo-Mensah’s player trades. His draft trades are too numerous for a revisit now. His willingness to trade for players first revealed itself at the end of his initial August with the Vikings.
From August 22 - 31, Adofo-Mensah traded for three players:
1. Nick Mullens, QB for a 2024 seventh
2. Ross Blacklock, DT and 2023 seventh for a 2023 sixth
3. Jalen Reagor, WR for a 2023 seventh and a 2024 fifth
Throughout the 2022 training camp and preseason, the backup quarterbacks did not impress. If anything happened to Kirk Cousins, the Vikings would be in serious, serious trouble. 2021 third-round pick, Kellen Mond simply wasn’t living up to his lofty draft status. The Vikings needed a competent backup. Adofo-Mensah traded for Nick Mullens. Of the three August acquisitions, this was the most important. Then and clearly now.
Ross Blacklock played a rotational role on the defensive line in 2022. Other than a single, impressive touchdown run, Jalen Reagor probably frustrated more than impressed during the 2022 season. He was the full time punt returner. His best return was called back by a phantom penalty. He made a few catches. He caused a couple interceptions. If his presence in Minnesota last season did anything, it further proved that the Philadelphia Eagles were complete idiots to draft Reagor over Justin Jefferson.
Blacklock and Reagor did not make this year’s roster.
A lot of things went the Vikings way during the 2022 season. They were winning despite the lack of a consistent receiving compliment to Jefferson. Adam Thielen wasn’t getting his usual separation from defenders. Tight end Irv Smith Jr. was dealing with injuries, again. As the trade deadline neared, the Vikings needed a pass catching boost. Adofo-Mensah found one. He pulled off a blockbuster with division-foe Detroit Lions.
T.J. Hockenson, TE
The Vikings sent a 2023 second and a 2024 third to the Lions for Hockenson and fourths in 2023 and 2024. It was a huge deal. It was the Vikings biggest in-season deal since the Herschel Walker trade. Unlike that idiotic, one-sided deal, this was a good deal. The cost was reasonable. The return has the potential to be remarkable. This was one of the few Vikings moves in recent memory that was universally applauded by fans. The fact that Vikings fans could agree on something is inconceivable.
In terms of player trades, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s second August was quiet. He reportedly shopped Reagor. Maybe Blacklock too. He probably did some browsing. Who knows? No trades.
A terrible, mistake-ridden start to the 2023 season forced Adofo-Mensah to turn to the phones. Last week, he made his first player trade of 2023.
Cam Akers, RB
The Vikings sent a conditional 2026 sixth to the Los Angeles Rams for Cam Akers and a conditional 2026 seventh. “2026” is not a typo. The Rams essentially gave Akers to the Vikings. I’ve yet to see any official reports of the conditions for the trade. I’ve seen a mention that Akers has to exceed 500 scrimmage yards to force the exchange of picks. We’ll see. The Vikings run game was essentially non-existent in the first two games. Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler ran better in Week 3. Akers joins that mix of backs. When healthy, he’s been very good. If he can play to the peak level that he occasionally showed with the Rams, the Vikings added an elite playmaker to the backfield. This was a very low risk trade with a potentially very high reward.
Due mostly to a 2022 Draft Class that’s been slow to develop, Adofo-Mensah has gotten a lot of criticism from fans. 21 games is a quick jump to judgement. It’s far too early. If the Vikings new general manager has shown anything in his brief time running the team, it’s that he does not sit idle. He will use all avenues in his efforts to improve the Vikings.
No comments:
Post a Comment