Minnesota Vikings 3 best trade targets to round out 2025 roster

The Minnesota Vikings had a great regular season in 2024, making the playoffs before falling to the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card Round. Now, they look to improve and make a deeper run with J.J. McCarthy under center. There are still spots to fill, and here are three trade targets the Vikings must make to improve their title chances.

The Vikings landed Jordan Mason in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, giving themselves a 1-2 punch with Aaron Jones. Additionally, Minnesota acquired Jonathan Allen on a two-year deal, giving themselves one of the best. The Vikings also added another defensive tackle, signing Javon Hargraves from the 49ers.

However, the Vikings still have some weaknesses to address, issues that could cause them to struggle. Furthermore, chance injuries could definitely expose these holes. Backup quarterback, cornerback, and interior offensive line are the positions to target for a potential upgrade to give Minnesota a better chance of success.

Daniel Jones

Sam Darnold agreed to a three-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, effectively leaving the Vikings without their starting quarterback from the 2024 season. No, Darnold was not going to start for the Vikings this season. But his departure leaves the Vikings with Sam Howell as the backup. While Howell has started before, there could be better options in case McCarthy suffers another injury.

Daniel Jones inked a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts to become their backup quarterback. If the Colts’ season goes south, they may either turn to Jones or outright trade him. The Vikings could use someone like Darnold to come in and give McCarthy a reliable veteran backup who can be decent occasionally.

Jones started only 10 games for the New York Giants before they released him. In those 10 games, he passed for 2,070 yards while tossing eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. His 79.4 passer rating was the worst among 32 starting quarterbacks.

The Vikings are committed to McCarthy, as they should be. However, they might need to upgrade at this position if anything happens to McCarthy. Injuries to quarterbacks are usually the death knell for a team’s season, and the Vikings need the insurance in case anything goes wrong.

Jalen Ramsey

According to Team Rankings, the Minnesota ranked just 29th in defensive pass touchdowns per game. While some would argue this had a lot to do with the Vikings’ being ahead in most games, they also were 14th in passing touchdowns allowed. It was not the worst performance against the Rams in the Wild Card Round, but the pass defense still allowed two passing touchdowns.

While many believe the Los Angeles Rams will trade for Jalen Ramsey, he would also be a good fit in Minnesota. Currently, the Vikings don’t have a true “lockdown” cornerback and rely on a rotation of cornerbacks to help cover top receivers. This was evident in their performances against Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, and DJ Moore during the 2024 season.

Ramsey played all 17 games for the Miami Dolphins last season, amassing 60 total tackles, including 39 solo takedowns. Additionally, he recorded one sack, two interceptions, and 11 pass deflections. While Ramsey has had better stats in the past, he still has shutdown ability and can be a valuable asset for a playoff push.

Minnesota would not need to send much to get him in a trade. Notably, a mid-round draft pick would suffice to snag a cornerback who is still solid. If the Vikings can acquire Ramsey, they would make it difficult for teams like the Lions, Bears, or Green Bay Packers to pass the ball on them.

Cesar Ruiz

The Vikings’ offensive line struggles were evident in a humiliating loss to the Rams. While much of that can be attributed to Darnold’s stubbornness and unwillingness to get rid of the football, there were still glaring issues. Center Garrett Bradbury was sometimes a liability, and Minnesota could do much better by acquiring a center or a guard who can help with pass blocking and run blocking.

The New Orleans Saints extended Cesar Ruiz to a long-term deal before the 2023 season. However, that was before the Saints became a clearly rebuilding team. The Saints could ship Ruiz out to shed some contracts if they feel the need to get younger.

Ruiz played in 13 games last season, missing four with a knee injury. However, when he played, he was elite in pass blocking. Ruiz allowed just one sack in more than 813 offensive snaps.

The Vikings already had solid pass blocking for most of the season. However, their situational issues in the trenches flared up in the playoffs. Acquiring someone like Ruiz would help solidify the entire line and make them ready for a longer playoff run.