Vikings to trade up

[NextQuestion]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... irst-round

Interesting call here. I'm not sure who I'd rather have: Patterson or Austin

[PacificNorseWest]

Either a smokescreen to get teams in a frenzy or they've found value with their other needs that they think can be had in later rounds and highly value who they can get if they trade up.

Can't wait!

[MikethePurple]

Judging by the strategy that Spielman used last year and seemingly in his tenure as GM this is an attempt to confuse actual motives. One thing it seems has been a constant with him, don't take anything that he says as face value. It seems to be a good strategy as a GM but it is personally maddening and makes me wonder after the numerous moves made in the off season what the players think of him. A good tactician or cold hearted businessman. Could end up affecting the team in resigning players down the road.

[Purple Rage]

I just don't think there is a player worth trading up for. Tavon an Patterson have potential but Keenan Allen could end up being a better pro than any of them. I think there is nothing wrong with playing chess, knowing Speilman he might not even be targeting a wr. Why not throw other teams off!?! I gotta give RS the benefit of the doubt, he's made some nice moves especially in last years draft.

[mondry]

Trading up just doesn't make a lot of sense, especially for a WR so I think this is a smoke screen one way or another. Either we don't want to trade up at all or if we do, I'd bet it's for a Defensive Tackle like Star Lotulelei

CBS sports says COMPARES TO: Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings -- While a touch shorter than the Vikings' former All-Pro, Lotulelei offers a similarly dominant combination of quickness and power and should one day rank among the league's best interior defensive linemen.

They didn't extend Kwill during the restructure so they may just be after his replacement.

[A.D_blazing]

I hope the vikings move up to get OG Jonathan Cooper.

[A.D_blazing]

Trading up just doesn't make a lot of sense, especially for a WR so I think this is a smoke screen one way or another. Either we don't want to trade up at all or if we do, I'd bet it's for a Defensive Tackle like Star Lotulelei

CBS sports says COMPARES TO: Kevin Williams, Minnesota Vikings -- While a touch shorter than the Vikings' former All-Pro, Lotulelei offers a similarly dominant combination of quickness and power and should one day rank among the league's best interior defensive linemen.

They didn't extend Kwill during the restructure so they may just be after his replacement.

http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftrumormill.php

Star Lotulelei Drawing Serious Interest From Arizona, Cleveland

Published April 19, 2013
By Charlie Campbell - @draftcampbell

One of the most interesting players throughout the pre-draft process has been Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. At the end of the college football season, Lotulelei was viewed as a high first-round pick and a candidate to go first overall selection to the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, Lotulelei hit a bump in the road at the Combine when he was held out of the workouts because of a cardiac concern. Further tests revealed that Lotulelei is fine and should have no restrictions during his NFL career. With that behind him, Lotulelei had a great Pro Day and took a number of pre-draft visits to teams selecting early in the first round.

Some mock drafts have Lotulelei falling into the teens, but WalterFootball.com has learned from league sources that Lotulelei is a relatively secure selection for the top 10 of the 2013 NFL Draft. The sources' gut feeling was that Lotulelei would land with the Oakland Raiders or Philadelphia Eagles with the third or fourth pick, respectively.

However, the sources revealed that Lotulelei has also received serious interest from the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns. Both teams run a 3-4 defense and the versatile Lotulelei could play end or nose tackle in a 3-4 set. For the Browns (6th overall) or Cardinals (7th overall) Lotulelei could be a nice value pick. The Jets hold the ninth choice, and they also have shown a lot of interest in Lotulelei. Sources believe that two teams that could trade up for Lotulelei include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.

Regarding the Cardinals, sources said that if all three left tackle prospects are gone, they believe that Arizona could easily take Lotulelei if he is still on the board. The Cardinals love the disruption he causes at the line of scrimmage and feel Lotulelei would be excellent with Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett.

There are so many teams in the top 10 interested in Lotulelei that a fall outside of the top 10 seems very unlikely.

My favorite players in the first round are Lotulelei,OG J. Cooper and Keenan Allen.

[Mothman]

I'm not nuts about the idea of a trade up but I suppose it depends on the cost and who they select. I'd be surprised and a little frustrated if they traded up for Austin or Patterson. However, if they look to trade up my guess is it would for an MLB, not a WR. The Bears may be targeting the same position and they pick at #20 so it's possible the Vikes want to jump ahead of Chicago and make sure they get their guy.

As others have said, it may also be a smokescreen.

[Cliff]

I'm not nuts about the idea of a trade up but I suppose it depends on the cost and who they select. I'd be surprised and a little frustrated if they traded up for Austin or Patterson. However, if they look to trade up my guess is it would for an MLB, not a WR. The Bears may be targeting the same position and they pick at #20 so it's possible the Vikes want to jump ahead of Chicago and make sure they get their guy.

As others have said, it may also be a smokescreen.

Yeah ... trading up doesn't mean to the top ten necessarily. I could see them packaging their 25th and 120th (20th pick in the 4th) to jump up into the mid/late teens.

[King James]

Why trade up when we can just get Keenan Allen. That guy will still be there at #25. And like someone said previously, I dont think there is any player worth trading up for. There are still some great players that we can get late in the 1st round.

[MrPurplenGold]

I think all it's saying is that the Vikings would be WILLING to trade up, not that they are going to trade up. Spielman has shown he isn't afraid to trade up if there is a person they believe can have a significant impact on the team, i.e. Harrison Smith. I SERIOUSLY doubt it would be for a WR or a DT. The draft is just too deep at the position. Last years safety class was not a very deep one, so they probably felt if they didn't get Smith there was not another impact safety in the draft.

[mansquatch]

For those that don't like Spielman's mechanations, I would remind that he isn't doing it for us and he isn't doing it for his players. He is doing it for the other NFL GMs. The Market for this stuff is very small. 32 potential buyers in total. That makes these moves a lot more like a poker game than say selling Tide to the mass market.

We as fans might crave a straight story, but we should have patience with Spielman and recognize that he is playing a game with the other GMs and thus far, he has proven to be quite adept at creating the perception of value. That is good for the Vikings and therefore, good for us, even if it makes the next 6 days uncertain.

I'm not really sold onthe trade up thing. This is a draft where you want more picks, not less. If there is an elite talent sitting up there they covet, then I can see why they want to do it, but I fall back on the depth/breadth of this draft. A trade down just seems to make more sense. However, we really just have to trust our FO to know what is best for the team. If they see a marquee talent and think it is worth the trade, then let's just hope they are right. You do not win in this league by being passive, that is for sure.

[PacificNorseWest]

There's pretty much two different stances on the value of the collection of receivers in this draft. One half has Austin and Patterson as the heads of the class and far and away the biggest playmakers in this draft. Maybe Spielman is part of that group who thinks their value is the better fit and best option for the Vikings as opposed to trying to pick the winner out of long string of uncertainty.

[MV711]

Not sure we could get Patterson or Austin if we trade up. Both could be gone. We will stay put and still get a good WR or CB.

[PacificNorseWest]

Not sure we could get Patterson or Austin if we trade up. Both could be gone. We will stay put and still get a good WR or CB.

Yeah, that's another thing. This could really be a legitimate feeler to see if there's any teams up near the top of the draft that pick in a spot where one of those will be available, who are looking to trade down. All he may be doing is getting an idea of how the top of the draft will play out.