The Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 entering their Week 6 bye. Despite being undefeated, there is a lot of improvement that can be made on the roster to not only improve their situation this season but also prepare for the future.
There is no urgency for the Vikings to make a move before the November 10 trade deadline, but if a deal can be made that makes sense for both teams, it would be silly for Minnesota to dismiss the possibility of a change.
The defense is playing amazingly, and special teams have been great, but there could be some changes on offense for the Purple and Gold. Head coach Kevin O'Connell needs to find an offensive spark to complement the other phases of the game.
1. Jauan Jennings, wide receiver
Last season, Jauan Jennings was a major offensive weapon for the San Francisco 49ers. In 15 games, he caught 55 passes for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. That production gave the Vikings hope that he could be a significant contributor for Minnesota this season.
Instead, Jennings has been a non-factor in 2026. In four games, he has caught two passes for nine yards on five targets while playing 201 offensive snaps. That production does not match his $8 million contract that Minnesota paid for his services this season.
The Vikings could attempt to get some kind of asset for him before the trade deadline instead of continuing to put him on the field. ESPN and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport stated on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he "wouldn't be surprised" to see interest in him on the trade market.
Trading him would save Minnesota about $2.6 million against the salary cap.
2. Jordan Addison, wide receiver
Let's be honest, the Vikings probably don't want to trade away Jordan Addison. Minnesota announced that they will use the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, which will cost the team approximately $18 million.
If Addison plays on that fifth-year option in Minnesota, the team will need to sign him to a long-term extension to keep him around. Recent extensions for other WR2s around the league have been expensive, and the Vikings might not be willing to fork over around $20 million per year to retain his services.
Minnesota could get a decent draft pick or a quality player for Addison if they trade him. The team would likely rather not ship him out, but there are teams out there who might be willing to make the Vikings an offer they can't refuse.
3. Ivan Pace, linebacker
This preseason, it was unclear how Ivan Pace Jr. would fit into the Vikings' defense. Eric Wilson and Blake Cashman are cemented as the starters, and rookie Jake Golday is working to find his role in Brian Flores' defense.
Pace could be a contributor on another team in need of a defender in the middle. This season, he has played 47 defensive snaps for Minnesota and 113 snaps on special teams, putting him on the field for 160 total snaps in five games played.
The bad part is that Pace has only accumulated 12 combined tackles, with two quarterback pressures and one QB knockdown in those reps. If Minnesota can get a mid-round pick for him, they could give his snaps to Golday and not lose production.
Add us as a preferred source on Google