Vikings trade former second-round pick Ezra Cleveland to Jaguars
The Minnesota Vikings traded former second-round pick Erza Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a surprising move on Tuesday. Cleveland is in his fourth year and is considered to be one of the better players at his position. It's hard to find quality offensive linemen in the NFL, which is what makes the move so […]
The Minnesota Vikings traded former second-round pick Erza Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a surprising move on Tuesday.
Cleveland is in his fourth year and is considered to be one of the better players at his position. It's hard to find quality offensive linemen in the NFL, which is what makes the move so puzzling. Especially when considering the compensation the Vikings received in return. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Minnesota will get a Day 3 draft pick, which means they're getting a fourth-rounder, at best. The Jags previously had two fourth-rounders in the 2024 NFL Draft, so it makes sense for it to be of that ilk.
"We've already got a good offensive line and Ezra can come in and give us some really good depth," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on The Pat McAfee Show. "It's just a matter of getting him caught up and getting him in the room with a really good offensive line…
"… Getting a guy like Ezra, [a guy of] his caliber – we got a starting-type guard. [It] really solidifies our offensive line and makes us guys better."
The Vikings also traded for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs in hopes that he can help alleviate the loss of Kirk Cousins, or at least provide a safety net in case rookie Jaren Hall can't prop the team up.
In all, it's been a busy day for the Vikings, who are currently 4-4 and two games behind the Detroit Lions for first place in the NFC North.
