The Minnesota Vikings have been a very active team in the first round. Since the year 2000, they have made 14 trades involving first-round picks, including multiple moves in 2020, 2014, 2013 and 2012.
The majority of those trades came by moving down due to former general manager Rick Spielman’s affinity for having a high quantity of draft picks.
Since 2000, five of their 14 trades involving first-round picks involved veteran players and that could happen again this season. Here are all the trades they have made in the first round.
2022: Vikings trade 12 to the Lions
Vikings trade: 12 and 46
Lions trade: 32, 34 and 66
This created a lot of waves, especially when you consider the major difference in the trade value charts. They ended up trading 34 to the Green Bay Packers for 53 and 59 and turned all of those picks into Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr. and Ed Ingram.
2021: Vikings trade 14 to Jets
Vikings trade: 14 and 143
Jets trade: 23, 66 and 86
This ended up being a home run for the Minnesota Vikings by acquiring a future All-Pro left tackle in Christian Darrisaw nine picks later than they would have taken him. Both third round picks (Kellen Mond and Wyatt Davis) only lasted one season with the team so it’s not a grand slam.
2020: Vikings acquire 22 for Stefon Diggs
Vikings trade: Stefon Diggs
Bills trade: 22, 155, 201 and 2021 fourth-round pick (Janarius Robinson)
Considering the situation they were in with Diggs, getting this kind of haul was massive for the Vikings. They got Justin Jefferson with the 22nd overall pick and he’s arguably better than Diggs. This is the rare win/win for both teams.
2020: Vikings trade 25 to the 49ers
Vikings trade: 25
49ers trade: 31, 117 and 176
The Vikings got Jefferson just three picks prior and took a couple of day three picks to go down six spots. Jeff Gladney didn’t work out, but getting borderline starters in D.J. Wonnum and K.J. Osborn was a great outcome for the Vikings.
2017: Vikings trade 14 to Eagles
Vikings trade: 14 and 2018 fourth-round pick
Eagles trade: Sam Bradford
This was a panic move by the Vikings after they saw Teddy Bridgewater nearly lose his leg with a team that was primed to make a run at a Super Bowl. Things could have worked out better with Bradford, but his knees went before that could come to fruition.
2014: Vikings trade up to 32 with Ravens
Vikings trade: 40 and 118
Ravens trade: 32
The Vikings made a major mistake by taking Christian Ponder but it didn’t stop them from trying again with Bridgewater. It looked to be working out great before a catastrophic knee injury derailed everything.
2014: Vikings trade 8 to Browns
Vikings trade: 8
Browns trade: 9 and 145
The Vikings have fleeced the Browns multiple times in the first round and got 145 to still take the guy they want in Anthony Barr.
2013: Vikings trade up to 29 with Patriots
Vikings trade: 52, 83, 120 and 229
Patriots trade: 29
The Vikings needed a receiver to replace Percy Harvin and they trade the farm to get a high-upside receiver in Patterson. A true dynamo in the open field, Patterson has been great once the ball in his hands, but he never developed as a wide receiver.
2013: Vikings acquire 25 for Percy Harvin
Vikings trade: Percy Harvin
Seahawks trade: 25, 218, and 2014 third (Jerick McKinnon)
The Vikings have traded three wide receivers for first-round picks and Harvin is one of them. He was a great player for the Vikings and even was in the MVP discussion in 2012 before being placed on injured reserve.
2012: Vikings trade up to 29 with Ravens
Vikings trade: 35 and 98
Ravens trade: 29
The Vikings moved up for Harrison Smith in 2012 without speaking to him before the selection was made. They wanted their love for him as a football player to be a secret and it paid off for them by getting him at 29th overall.
2012: Vikings trade 3 to the Browns
Vikings trade: 3
Browns trade: 4, 118, 139 and 211
The Vikings stole fourth, fifth and seventh-round picks from the Browns to allow them to take a player that they had zero interest in Trent Richardson. Kalil made the Pro Bowl in his rookie year, but he didn’t do much of anything after that.
2010: Vikings trade 30 to Lions
Vikings trade: 30, 128
Lions trade: 34, 100 and 214
The Lions move up for a running back turned sprinter in Jahvid Best and the Vikings get a good return by moving up 28 picks in round four along with getting a seventh-round pick. Chris Cook ended up being a bust, but the value in return was great.
2008: Vikings trade 17 to Chiefs
Vikings trade: 17, 73, 82 and 182
Chiefs trade: Jared Allen and 187
The final move by Brad Childress to beef up the trenches was to acquire the 2007 league leader in sacks Allen. He immediately helped take that defense to the next level with the Williams Wall on the inside and 2009 doesn’t happen without him.
2005: Vikings acquire pick 7 for Randy Moss
Vikings trade: Randy Moss
Raiders trade: 7, 218 and Napoleon Harris
This one hurt the fanbase for a long time. Moss was the reason an entire generation became Vikings fans, as that time was marred by the team potentially moving from Minnesota. Moss changed the league from day one and the course of the Vikings franchise.
2004: Vikings trade down one spot with Miami
Vikings trade: 19
Dolphins trade: 20, 119 (Mewelde Moore)
The Dolphins wanted to get the best offensive lineman on the board and the ESPN crew made a lot of jokes about the Vikings needing more time after missing the clock in both 2002 and 2003.
