The clock is working against the Vikings, and the trade deadline is making their biggest need look harder to solve by the hour.
Minnesota would love to come out of the next 24 hours with help for its run defense, especially at defensive tackle. The Vikings have been strong overall on that side of the ball, but the numbers against the run keep pointing to the same soft spot. They’re allowing 116.7 rushing yards per game, which ranks 16th in the NFL, and over their last three games they’ve given up 146.3 rushing yards per contest, fifth-most in the league during that span.
That matters even more with more elite backs coming up on the schedule. General manager Nolan Teasley has limited time to find a fix, and the market is shrinking fast.
The timing has not helped Minnesota. Over the past two weeks, Jeffery Simmons and DeForest Buckner were dealt to the Bears and 49ers, respectively. Then Monday brought another hit to the pool of available interior defenders, as the Jaguars first added Davon Godchaux from the Saints and then, just hours later, landed Jordan Davis from the Eagles.
That’s another name off the board for teams trying to patch up the middle of their defense.
NFL on Prime’s James Palmer said Monday morning that the market is tight for everyone chasing a defensive tackle.
"Teams looking to acquire (DT) have had a hard time and feel options are limited," Palmer reported on Monday morning. "The Eagles have told teams they aren’t moving Moro Ojomo, and the Colts so far have been reluctant to trade Grover Stewart. Teams continue to search the market and checked in on Panthers Derrick Brown and were quickly shot down."
So while the Vikings still have time, the path is narrowing. Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange bring youth and upside, but the source of the problem remains the same: Minnesota may not have enough interior muscle right now to keep its run defense from being stressed in the postseason.
And the upcoming schedule only sharpens that concern. The Vikings are set to see James Cook, Christian McCaffrey, and Bijan Robinson in three of their next four games. That’s a brutal run of backs for any defense, and especially one still searching for answers in the middle.
If Minnesota wants to keep digging, there are a few places to call. The Jets could be open for business, with expiring-contract defensive tackles like former Viking Harrison Phillips and former 2024 seventh-rounder Jowon Briggs available to discuss.
The winless Chargers could be persuaded to move Dalvin Tomlinson. The Cardinals might be worth a call about Roy Lopez.
The deadline is almost here, and the Vikings can’t afford to let the market pass them by. Even if Teasley can’t land the kind of difference-maker fans are hoping for, the search itself matters. They need to turn over every stone before the clock runs out.
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