Vikings Expect To Be Very Active In The Trade Market During The Draft

Vikings GM Rick Spielman told reporters on Saturday that he would like to acquire even more picks for this year’s NFL Draft and said that their goal is to have around 10 selections to work with every year.

“We have eight right now and a lot of that [movement] doesn’t happen until you’re on the clock,” Spielman said during a rally to benefit the Vikings Children’s Fund, via the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Heck, last year they pulled me out of a press conference to go get [Cordarrelle] Patterson because you never know. But I really, really think we’re going to do a lot of movement in the draft.”

As things stand right now, the Vikings have the No. 8 overall pick and are widely expected to consider drafting a quarterback in round one. However, Spielman stressed the depth of this quarterback class and doesn’t believe they will be forced to grab someone at the top of the draft.

“There’s all shapes, sizes and flavors. There’s some guys coming off ACL [injuries] and you want to see where they’re at, but I think there’s going to be depth in this quarterback draft class that you’re not going to be forced to take one in the first; maybe a guy that we’re picking in the second, or maybe a guy we’re picking in the third,” Spielman said. “That’s where if you’re not sold on a guy at the number eight overall pick, lets say hypothetically you trade back and accumulate two, three more picks in that first three rounds, then that gives you the flexibility  to move back up in the second, or the bottom of the first.”

Spielman wouldn’t rule out the possibility of re-signing veteran QB Matt Cassel who voided his contract earlier this week and is now in position to test the free agent market in March.

We have the Vikings taking QB Derek Carr in the first-round of our most recent 2014 NFL Mock Draft.