Start Of The Fire Sale? Vikings Trade Yannick Ngakoue To Baltimore
Just as when the Minnesota Vikings acquire Yannick Ngakoue weeks before the 2020 season started, shock waves went through the NFL as Ngakoue was traded to Baltimore Thursday morning.
The Vikings acquired Yannick Ngakoue back on August 30th from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a second-round pick and a conditional fifth. Today, less than 60 days after Minnesota brought Ngakoue to town to pair with Danielle Hunter, the Vikings have traded Ngakoue for a third-round pick and a 2022 conditional fifth-round pick, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Is this the start of a fire sale of the Vikings veteran talent? Is it also Vikings GM Rick Spielman waving the white flag and throwing the season away?
The Vikings sent what is looking to be an early second-round pick for what will most likely be a late third-round pick. That is a massive miss on the talent of the roster by Spielman and the rest of the front office. They thought they would be in the playoff hunt, instead, they go into the bye week with questions about the entire roster and a 1-5 record.
Yeah, the Vikings schedule was tough to start the year. Green Bay, Tennesse, and Seattle all look like playoff contenders. (They have combined for one loss on the season) Yet, disappointing performances against beatable teams in Indianapolis and Atlanta is cause for concern. The Vikings don't pass the eye test. Watch them play, they are bad at football.
Will Riley Rieff and Anthony Harris be the next talent traded away before the NFL Trade Deadline comes up in two weeks? Will the Vikings also look at moving pieces like Eric Kendricks or Kyle Rudolph to try and get some relief against the salary cap? ESPN Nation reporter Courtney Cronin thinks the Vikings could be one of the busier teams in the league as the trade deadline approaches.
The Vikings have their hands tied at Quarterback with almost no way out of a contract that, today, is the worst in the NFL.
The trading of Ngakoue could be the start of a fire sale of players as the Vikings look to not just "re-tool" the roster, but a complete rebuild. There shouldn't just change during the mid-season either. This roster, front office, and coaching staff might see a complete blowup in the offseason.
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