The Minnesota Vikings may be the NFL’s biggest surprise playoff candidate this season, owing to quarterback Sam Darnold’s career resurgence. With a 6-2 record and second place in the NFC North, the Vikings could try to add some reinforcements before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Minnesota has already traded for offensive tackle Cam Robinson from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick to replace Christian Darrisaw, who will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL and MCL injury, and CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin recently proposed that they add Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to boost their pass rush.
“Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has already swung two deals, reuniting with Cam Akers and adding Cam Robinson as an emergency fill-in for the injured Christian Darrisaw,” writes Benjamin. “Neither move cost much, and Minnesota remained in the middle of the NFC North fight. Simmons would be a huge boost to Brian Flores’ already formidable defensive front, and he wouldn’t hurt long-term plans either.”
Simmons has three years remaining on his four-year, $94 million contract. His salary number over four seasons was a modest $22.8 million, $25.4 million, and $28.3 million, respectively, and he may be a long-term fixture on the team’s defensive line. The 27-year-old is tied for the team lead in pressures (19), leads the Titans in hurries (15), and ranks third in sacks (3. Simmons would be an immediate upgrade over Minnesota’s top two defensive tackles, Harrison Phillips and Jalen Redmond, and he would bolster a pass-rush squad that is already ranked sixth in sacks. Simmons is still young and a previous first-round choice, so he will not be cheap.
If the Titans were to trade him – and that’s a huge if – they’d most certainly want at least a first-round selection and possibly more in return.
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