Vikings May Trade Breakout Playmaker Amid Offensive Struggles: Report
The Minnesota Vikings just added a veteran quarterback in John Wolford, a move they might end up matching by dealing away a fourth-year wide receiver who has gotten better with each season.
Kevin Seifert of ESPN wrote on Wednesday, October 29, that Jalen Nailor is atop Minnesota’s list of potential trade candidates, as he is on the final year of his rookie contract and will become a free agent next March absent a contract extension before then.
“He is a key part of the Vikings’ three-receiver sets and has played the fourth-highest percentage of snaps (74.1%) of any offensive player. But in the Vikings’ efforts to feed Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, Nailor has been targeted only 26 times this season,” Seifert wrote. “The Vikings aren’t looking to trade Nailor, but they have depth behind him in veteran Adam Thielen. Nailor is also a pending free agent. With Jefferson set to count for $39 million against the 2026 cap and Addison eligible for an extension this upcoming offseason, Nailor could move on next year anyway.”
Jalen Nailor Had Breakthrough Season for Vikings in 2024
Nailor, 26 years old, was a sixth-round pick of the Vikings out of Michigan State in the 2022 NFL draft. He inked a four-year deal with the team for $3.85 million total, which has proven worth the money for Minnesota over the past three and a half seasons.
During his rookie campaign, Nailor played just 57 offensive snaps, but saw 216 snaps on special teams. He had 13 targets and made nine receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown.
Nailor battled injury issues in 2023, straining his hamstring mid-season and suffering a concussion near the end of the campaign. He finished the year with just six appearances and one start to his credit.
However, the wideout leveled up in Year 3, earning seven starts and hauling in 28 receptions for 414 yards and six TDs in a breakout campaign. He has 13 grabs for 162 yards and one score through seven games (five starts) in 2025.
Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy Could Use Help of Jalen Nailor in Return to Starting Lineup Against Lions
Should the Vikings actually trade Nailor, which makes considerable sense since he could probably bring back at least a sixth-round pick in return (what Minnesota spent to acquire him four drafts ago), that move would not be catastrophic for their offense or returning quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
That said, McCarthy is presumably stepping back into the starting role in a highly-pressurized situation, with the Vikings (3-4) on a two-game losing streak and heading to Ford Field to take on the Detroit Lions (5-2) coming off their bye week.
QB Carson Wentz (2-3 as a starter this year) is out for the season due to surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Hence Minnesota’s signing of Wolford Wednesday.
Nailor has been a teammate of McCarthy’s for the past two years, and they played two games together to begin the 2025 campaign before McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the past month and a half.
Considering their familiarity with one another and the number of snaps Nailor is playing this season, it might be beneficial for McCarthy to have the wideout at his disposal in what is sure to be a tough challenge this weekend.
For what it’s worth, the Vikings could hold onto Nailor through next week’s game and still trade him, as the deadline to make such moves doesn’t expire until November 4.
Insider Links Colts to Trade for All-Pro Edge Rusher Before Deadline
The Indianapolis Colts came into the 2025 NFL season with no telling what direction the franchise was headed in after bringing in veteran quarterback Daniel Jones.
Despite making the questionable move to sign Jones, the Colts have regrets, as the team is arguably the biggest surprise squad in the NFL through the first weeks of the 2025 campaign, sporting a league-best 7-1 record.
Even though the Colts have already far exceeded expectations, with Jones having resurrected his career in Indianapolis, the team is far from satisfied, and general manager Chris Ballard could potentially making a move before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 4.
Colts Linked to Trey Hendrickson Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Colts “make a ton of sense” to trade for pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, with the team potentially being “one player away” from being a legitimate title contender in the AFC this season.
Complicating matters is a hip injury that has compromised Hendrickson’s past two weeks on the field, though that injury is not considered serious and Hendrickson should be full-go for the stretch run, be it for Cincinnati or someone else. The Colts make a ton of sense as a contending team that could be the proverbial “one player away.” It would also represent a reunion between Hendrickson and former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, now running the defense in Indianapolis.
However, the Colts might face stiff competition for Hendrickson’s services if the Bengals decide it is time to move on from the star pass rusher ahead of the NFL trade deadline, with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers potential threats.
Up to this point, the Bengals have rebuffed trade inquiries, and sources have maintained that Cincinnati has no plans to trade Hendrickson right now. The Cowboys and 49ers are among the interested teams, though San Francisco made a move for a pass rusher Tuesday night.
It’ll be interesting to see if Ballard and company get aggressive ahead of the trade deadline and try to pull off a move to improve the squad on the defensive side of the football, as it may be what’s needed for this team to separate itself from the competition in the conference in the second half of the 2025 campaign.
Daniel Jones Continues to Play at a High Level for Colts
GettyDaniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts.
After a failed stint with the New York Giants and not seeing the field in one season with the Minnesota Vikings, Jones seemed like another veteran quarterback who had exhausted all his options as a starter in the NFL.
Eight weeks into his time with the Colts, Jones is looking like a legitimate NFL MVP candidate, leading the team to seven wins and the best record in the league. Although much of the credit goes to star running back Jonathan Taylor, who is arguably having the best season of his career and is also in the MVP conversation, Jones has completely changed the narrative of his career while leading a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.
Jones has thrown for 2,062 yards, 13 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He’s also rushed for two touchdowns, and if the team can continue to win games each week, the Colts will be well on their way to winning the AFC South division title while locking up a high seed in the conference heading into the NFL playoffs.
