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At 5-0, the Minnesota Vikings could reasonably be serious buyers at the NFL trade deadline. Coming off the bye, the Vikings should have a great idea of how they want to address some roster needs, and a trade (or two) can't be ruled out for general manager Nolan Teasley.
The Vikings' new GM has already shown a penchant for making roster moves, and the Vikings could look to add a safety, running back or receiver within the next three weeks. On the flip side, players could also be on the move out of Minnesota as well.
Here's who the Vikings could look to add, and who they could ship out before the Nov. 10 deadline.
Kenneth Gainwell, RB (Buccaneers)
Despite the imminent return of Jordan Mason, the Vikings could still look to add to their backfield ahead of the deadline. Aaron Jones, meanwhile, proved two things as the bell cow for Minnesota over the past few weeks, and it's that he's still an efficient runner but lacks explosion. Without any indication that rookie speedster Demond Claiborne will earn a bigger role, the Vikings could turn to Kenneth Gainwell, who has fallen out of favor in Tampa Bay.
Gainwell has just 19 carries for a modest 61 yards through six games with the 1-5 Buccaneers, and despite being one of their prized free agent acquisitions, he seems to be a complete afterthought in the offense. Sound familiar?
Gainwell had over 1,000 total yards with Pittsburgh in 2025 as a solid runner and strong pass catcher, and may be that juice off the bench that the Vikings haven't been able to find just yet.
Antoine Winfield Jr., S (Buccaneers)
Another target from the listless Bucs, Antoine Winfield Jr. could follow in his father's footsteps with a move to Minnesota. Safety is clearly the weak spot on an otherwise elite defense, with Harrison Smith very much looking his age and Joshua Metellus consistently on the wrong end of big plays. Winfield could be more than just a feel-good story and would become the missing piece of the puzzle for Brian Flores.
The deal wouldn't come without complications, though, as Winfield is currently injured with a rib issue and hasn't played at his peak for over two years now. Still, the former All-Pro would provide an immediate boost to the Vikings' secondary once he's healthy, and a mid-round pick could entice the Bucs enough to move off their pricey player during a lost season.
Jerry Jeudy, WR (Browns)
In the event that the Vikings move on from Jauan Jennings, they could look to backfill that WR3 spot via trade. Tai Felton and Myles Price haven't shown much, and Odell Beckham Jr. is the wildest of all wild cards. While he doesn't fit the big-bodied type the Vikings might be looking for, Jerry Jeudy would be a nice option if the Browns could... stop winning?
Yes, while most expected them to be sellers by this point, your Cleveland Browns are instead in first place in the AFC North. Still, regardless of their newfound success, Jeudy has stayed quiet with just 12 catches through six games. If the Browns want to add some draft capital for their forgotten receiver, the Vikings could add 1,299 yards just two seasons ago.
His base salary is just $1.5 million for 2026, according to Spotrac, and he has no guaranteed money left in 2027, so Jeudy could theoretically be a rental if the Vikings opt to move on as well.
Jauan Jennings, WR
Jennings has been about as disappointing as can be after signing a 1-year, $8 million deal this spring. He has just two catches, and his 30.3 run-block grade from Pro Football Focus ranks 196th at the position.
The Vikings still seem somewhat set on fixing him, but if his production doesn't improve over the next week or two, Teasley may be wise to just get what he can.
Ivan Pace, LB
Ivan Pace remains a valuable special teams player for Minnesota, but has been mostly a forgotten piece on defense. He's played just 15% of snaps and already seems to be losing some ground to rookie Jake Golday, who looks to be progressing every week.
Pace wouldn't net very much in return, so the Vikings could decide his special teams play outweighs a Day 3 pick. Still, it's clear Pace's role on defense has dissolved to an occasional pass rusher for Flores's hyper-aggressive scheme.
Jay Ward, S
Jay Ward started most of the second half of the 2025 season but now, like Pace, has been limited to mostly special teams play.
The Vikings are currently rostering six safeties, and Ward appears to be in the doghouse for whatever reason. Despite the group's mediocre play, Ward still hasn't found a way onto the field, but a safety-needy team may still value a former starter who's only 26.