There has been a lot of trade chatter involving the Minnesota Vikings as we head toward the November 2nd NFL trade deadline. Minnesota already made one deal, sending outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly to the Denver Broncos. Could more deals be on the horizon, potentially for a star cornerback like Xavien Howard?
Coming off their bye week, the Vikings currently have a record of 3-3. They are already two games behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North division, but still, have a path to the postseason.
With only six teams in the NFC having a winning record, the Vikings are right in the thick of things for a Wild Card spot. Looking to cement themselves among the playoff teams in the conference, they could look to upgrade the roster at the deadline.
One position that has been highlighted has been the defensive backfield, specifically cornerback. The team invested resources into the position during the offseason, but things haven’t panned out exactly as they had hoped.
Patrick Peterson, who was signed away from the Arizona Cardinals, is currently on Injured Reserve and will miss at least the next three games. Bashaud Breeland, Cameron Dantzler and Mackensie Alexander will be tasked with picking up the slack.
If the Vikings are looking to solidify things at cornerback, the Miami Dolphins could be an intriguing trade partner. Over at CBS Sports, they believe Xavien Howard is someone that could make sense.
Howard had a contract dispute with the Dolphins during the offseason and it looked like he would be on the move. The two sides were able to restructure the deal, but now Miami is sitting at 1-6 on the season. With their playoff hopes all but dashed, they could move some players to add more draft capital in the future.
Howard has drawn some buzz and would net them a nice return. He is an excellent playmaker, leading the league in interceptions twice in his career. He has 24 interceptions in 62 games and 64 passes defended. In 2020, he led the league in both categories with 10 interceptions and 20 passes defended.
The former Baylor product would provide the Vikings with an upgrade in their secondary and some more insurance in case the veterans they currently have in place are unable to remain healthy again.
