Getty The Vikings announced the death of legendary coach Bud Grant on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
With the No. 12 overall pick in hand, the Minnesota Vikings stared at several high-profile prospects and opted to give a rival the pick of the litter.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who later acknowledged that the Vikings favored Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams, allowed the Detroit Lions to draft the wide receiver, whom the Vikings will now face twice a year.
The Vikings traded the 12th pick and a late second-rounder (No. 46 overall) to the Detriot Lions in exchange for the 32nd and final selection of the first round, the No. 34 overall pick and an additional third-rounder (No. 66 overall). Minnesota selected Georgia safety Lewis Cine with its first-round pick and will be the second team to pick in the second round on April 29.
“(Williams) was one of our favorite players in the draft, but we got a pretty bad dude on our team,” Adofo-Mensah said of Cine, per Pioneer Press reporter Chris Tomasson.
Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald weighed in on the trade and ripped the Vikings for the new regime’s first draft maneuver.
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‘The Vikings Definitely Misread What the Trade Market Was’
In hindsight, Fitzgerald tweeted late in the first round, the Vikings “definitely misread what the trade market was. They gave up a high pick and by far got the worst haul.”
In hindsight Vikings definitely misread what the trade market was. They gave up a high pick and by far got the worst haul.
However, his tweets seemed to contradict his own assessment of the trade based on numerical values assigned to each draft spot. According to a draft value chart he helped create for Over the Cap, the sum of the picks Minnesota received exceeded Detroit’s valuation by over 500.
The consensus was split among other charts, with Jimmy Johnson’s and Rich Hill’s trade charts giving the Lions an edge in the trade. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ wins above replacement (WAR) metric has the Vikings coming out as the winner of the trade.
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Vikings trade downs forever, ♥️
Though Minnesota might not have been fleeced, Fitzgerald might be correct, by his metrics, that the Vikings left more than was desired on the table.
For example, in their trade with New Orleans Saints, the Washington Commanders hauled in a valued difference of over 1,000, sending the No. 11 overall pick to New Orleans in exchange for the No. 16, No. 98 and No. 120 picks.
The Houston Texans sent the No. 13 overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to move two spots down to No. 15 and pick up additional picks at No. 124, No. 162 and No. 166 — a difference of over 1,300 points on Fitzgerald’s scale.
Of course, these are just numbers in a chart and not players on the field — and the Vikings must feel they have something in both Cine and the prospect of picking early in the second round.
What’s Next?
After selecting a safety in the first round, the Vikings still have a void at cornerback to fill with their next two picks. Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. is one pick away from potentially being selected by Minnesota.
The Vikings could also convert Camryn Bynum back to his college position of cornerback and move him in as a slot weapon.
Edge rusher and offensive line remain areas of concern that the Vikings could address on Day 2 of the draft, starting at 6 p.m. Central on April 29.
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NFL Analyst Blasts Vikings, Contradicting His Grade of Draft Trade With Lions