Earlier in 2022, the Minnesota Vikings traded the 12th and 46th overall picks to the Lions for 32, 34, and 66.
Many Viking fans were questioning the beginning of the Kwesi Adolfo Mensah era as the General Manager of the Minnesota Vikings. So far, since the original trade we are eight weeks into the season with the Vikings showing a 6-1 record, while the Detroit Lions are the exact opposite at 1-6. The post Halloween chaos reunited the two clubs to trade again.
What are these two GM’s up to?
Another trade, who knew? This time the Lions send what looks like an early 4th round pick in 2023, a conditional 4th round pick and TJ Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings for what looks like a late second round pick in 2023 and a third round pick in 2024.
An early 4 with the potential record that we’re seeing from the Lions has the Vikings licking their chops.
Hockenson may be the guy that helps the Vikings make a deep playoff run. We see Hockenson as a reliable pass catcher, however he’s an extremely underrated blocker. With a backfield that shows Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, WATCH OUT.
The loss of Irv Smith Jr created a sense of urgency for the Vikings to find tight end help before the trade deadline. Hockenson and Smith are 2019 NFL Draft classmates with Hockenson going eighth overall to Detroit while Smith was a second-round pick.
The timing of the Smith Jr injury may be a blessing in disguise even though you don’t ever want to see an injury in the National Football League. For example, if the injury happens in Week 9, after the trade deadline, most likely Hockenson isn’t in Minnesota as a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
While Brad Holmes may have made the better trade on paper for Draft Day, Kwesi gets the nod here as far as who got the better portion of the sequel. The last team that gave up a two and a three during the trade deadline was the LA Rams when they traded for Von Miller.
What happened last year to the Rams after making that trade? The Rams won the Super Bowl.
Will history repeat itself as Minnesota prepares for a postseason run of their own? We will see.
Perhaps Holmes didn’t believe the Hock was going to re-sign with the Lions, and the most they would have gotten was a compensatory 3rd.
Holmes did manage to get a 2nd from Minnesota so it’s not the worst that Holmes could have done, however giving the Vikings a weapon like that could come back to haunt them especially if Hockenson fits that Vikings offense long-term.
Draft Day Trade Grade
Lions B+
Vikings C-
Week 8 Trade
Vikings A-
Lions C
Overall
Vikings B
Lions B-