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The Minnesota Vikings currently hold the 18th pick in the NFL Draft. But what would they have to do to move into the top 10?
There has been speculation that the Vikings could trade into the top 10 to draft Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he begins to fall. But ESPN's Bill Barnwell could still see Minnesota trading into the top 10 to get one of the draft's top defensive players – and also free up some cap space while they do it.
Barnwell looked at potential trades for every team in this year's draft, treating each move as if it were in its own universe, separate from the rest of the board. For the Chiefs, Barnwell had them trade Pick 9 and third-year EDGE defender Felix Anudike-Uzomah to the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota would give up Picks 18, 97 (third round), and EDGE defender Jonathan Greenard.
The trade could help the Vikings in a variety of ways, getting younger at EDGE, freeing up cap space, and positioning them to take one of the top defensive backs in the draft.
Anudike-Uzomah, the 31st overall pick in the 2023 draft, missed the entire 2025 season with a hamstring injury and has yet to live up to his draft status. He has only three career sacks. Still, he is only 24 years old and could benefit from a change of scenery.
The financial flexibility and resolution to the Greenard contract situation are appealing. He will be 29 in May, and even though that isn't the age where defensive linemen fall off a cliff, the Vikings could stand to get younger and get Turner onto the field more, as well.
Ultimately, this feels like a lot of maneuvering for a draft class that doesn't have the top-end talent of other years. I'd rather see the Vikings get a first-round pick for Greenard instead of including him in a package to move up nine slots in the draft, even if Anudike-Uzomah has potential
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Mock Draft: Vikings trade into the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
There has been speculation that the Vikings could trade into the top 10 to draft Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love if he begins to fall. But ESPN's Bill Barnwell could still see Minnesota trading into the top 10 to get one of the draft's top defensive players – and also free up some cap space while they do it.
Barnwell looked at potential trades for every team in this year's draft, treating each move as if it were in its own universe, separate from the rest of the board. For the Chiefs, Barnwell had them trade Pick 9 and third-year EDGE defender Felix Anudike-Uzomah to the Vikings. In exchange, Minnesota would give up Picks 18, 97 (third round), and EDGE defender Jonathan Greenard.
The trade could help the Vikings in a variety of ways, getting younger at EDGE, freeing up cap space, and positioning them to take one of the top defensive backs in the draft.
Anudike-Uzomah, the 31st overall pick in the 2023 draft, missed the entire 2025 season with a hamstring injury and has yet to live up to his draft status. He has only three career sacks. Still, he is only 24 years old and could benefit from a change of scenery.
The financial flexibility and resolution to the Greenard contract situation are appealing. He will be 29 in May, and even though that isn't the age where defensive linemen fall off a cliff, the Vikings could stand to get younger and get Turner onto the field more, as well.
Ultimately, this feels like a lot of maneuvering for a draft class that doesn't have the top-end talent of other years. I'd rather see the Vikings get a first-round pick for Greenard instead of including him in a package to move up nine slots in the draft, even if Anudike-Uzomah has potential
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Mock Draft: Vikings trade into the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Continue reading...
