Vikings Have a Chance to Get Obscenely Rich on Offense

He tormented them for years, but now the Minnesota Vikings, in theory, have a chance to bid on Davante Adams’ services.

Vikings Have a Chance to Get Obscenely Rich on Offense

Adams reportedly requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday, an outcome onlookers have seen from a thousand miles away.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted, “Raider star WR Davante Adams informed the team that he preferred to be traded, per me and Mike Garafolo. There is nothing imminent, but a situation to watch for sure.”

Adams joined the Raiders via trade in 2022 and, at the time, was paired with his former college quarterback, Derek Carr, a move he endorsed. But Las Vegas quickly struggled with Adams on the roster, and for the last two to three seasons, a trade seemed wildly probable. Now, barring a change of heart, a deal will materialize to send Adams elsewhere, likely to a Super Bowl-contending franchise.

Which just so happens to be a 4-0 Minnesota squad, at least heading into Week 5.

Of course, the Vikings already showcase Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the top of the WR ticket. But if the club is dead serious about pushing all chips into the middle of the table, exploring Adams via trades makes sense. Minnesota doesn’t have much draft capital to trade — it used most of that on the trade pieces needed to obtain and draft outside linebacker Dallas Turner — but if there’s a will, there’s a way.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter followed up the Rapoport tweet with his own, illuminating the would-be price for Adams: “ESPN sources: Raiders have informed other teams that they would “consider” trading WR Davante Adams for a package that would include a second-round pick and additional compensation.”

No team — the Vikings, especially — will pay a 2nd-Rounder for a soon-to-be 32-year-old wide receiver, but a 3rd-Rounder, on the other hand, could do the trick.

Josina Anderson also tweeted about the new Adams trade saga: “Just spoke to a league source indicating an NFC team would have interest in Davante Adams, but not currently for a 2nd-round pick. Sounds like restructuring would be needed in this* particular case too. Will keep adding to the prospect list.”

If Minnesota’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, views his club as a legitimate Super Bowl contender — he should — he could explore the 2026 draft capital piggybank for a deal that would fetch Adams. The price, for example, could be a 2026 3rd-Rounder, which is not too absurd for an aging wideout.

Then, on Sundays, quarterback Sam Darnold could toss the rock to Jefferson, Addison, Adams, tight end T.J. Hockenson, and tailback Aaron Jones. And that’s all on top of utilizing the NFL’s best defense via DVOA and EPA/Play.

Adams might oblige the theoretical purple trade offer because a) Minnesota is 4-0 and barreling toward the postseason b) Aaron Jones was his teammate for five seasons in Green Bay.

Any real interest will depend on whether Adofo-Mensah is willing to trade more draft capital, which is currently scarce.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.