Minnesota Vikings were wise to not trade for CB Sauce Gardner, and the reasons were staring us in the face

It was a smart move not to make.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 28, 2025; Dublin, Ireland; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah watches during an NFL International Series game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Heading into the trade deadline, the Minnesota Vikings had quite a big decision to make. Do they try to make a trade to improve the team or stand pat? It was a very busy trade deadline day across the NFL, and it changed the landscape for multiple teams.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has never been afraid to make a big move at the trade deadline. That’s how they ended up with T.J. Hockenson at the 2022 trade deadline. There were opportunities for the Vikings to make moves, and one of the biggest names that fans were clamoring for ended up getting traded.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was smart not to trade for Sauce Gardner

Fans have been asking for the Vikings to make a big trade, especially at cornerback. One of the top young cornerbacks in the NFL was traded, as the New York Giants sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and second-year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

That’s a hefty price. If you think it’s a lot, that’s because it absolutely is. Micah Parsons went for similar draft capital just before the season. Here’s the thing: Gardner is a good player, but he’s not the type of difference maker that Parsons is.

In Brian Flores’ defense, cornerbacks aren’t afterthoughts, but they don’t make them a major priority, either. The focus of the defensive scheme is to generate pressure quickly and impact the quarterback accordingly. It’s why, after Byron Murphy Jr., the cornerbacks going into the season were Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah. It’s not that those two players are bad, but they aren’t high-profile talents.

That in itself makes this less of an ideal trade. It’s especially more worrisome when one of the biggest issues on the roster right now is depth. That has come from missed draft picks (mainly the 2022 NFL Draft class) and not having a high quantity of picks. Giving up two first-round picks and a young player would be a really risky decision for a position that hasn’t been a major priority.

Even so, the move could still work out if the player was worth it. However, Gardner has been up and down during his four seasons in the NFL. The high-end play is really good, but the inconsistent play makes a move that much more volatile.

If this were for Quinnen Williams, it would be a good move for the Vikings. However, they were smart not to make the deal for Gardner.

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