ESPN’s Seth Walder believed the Minnesota Vikings got solid value when they traded pick No. 34 to the Green Bay Packers for picks 53 and 59 in 2022.
“The numbers alone don’t quite do Minnesota justice here,” he wrote. “They traded with a division rival.”
Walder acknowledged that critics would argue the trade was a mistake, especially since the Packers used the pick to select Christian Watson, filling a crucial need. But he argued this logic ignored the context: the Vikings received two picks that were collectively more valuable than the one used on Watson, and the Packers might have traded up to select Watson from another team anyway.
While Walder made a good point, many Vikings fans didn’t agree. The Star Tribune even published photos of Vikings fan David Verhota upset by the trade, giving the pick a thumbs down. “I’m upset because we traded down that far and didn’t get a pick for next year,” he told the paper.
In hindsight, many fans echoed Verhota’s frustration, feeling the Vikings shouldn’t have traded with a division rival and that they didn’t get enough in return. This trade became a point of contention as reactionary fans, logical analysts, and Adofo-Mensah’s strategic thinking collided on April 28, 2022.
Before trading with the Packers, the Vikings had already made a trade with the Detroit Lions, exchanging picks 12 and 46 for picks 32, 34, and 66. PFF and Jason Spielberger agreed with Walder that the Vikings won that deal, but according to the Rich Hill trade chart, Minnesota actually lost it.
Luke Braun, at the time, expressed frustration over the trade, especially because the Vikings allowed the Lions to move up 20 spots, enabling them to grab Jameson Williams. As a division rival, Braun pointed out that Detroit would now face Williams twice a year. However, despite his 1,001-yard season in 2022, Williams had only 395 yards in his first two seasons, and he faced off-field issues, including gambling and gun-related incidents.
Adofo-Mensah, reflecting on the draft strategy, emphasized the importance of depth and volume when building a team. He made it clear that no number of later-round picks could ever replace the value of a first-round pick.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
After trading with the Packers, the Vikings selected Lewis Cine with the 32nd pick and then traded pick 34 for picks 53 and 59. They used pick 59 to draft Ed Ingram, despite concerns about his character. Though Ingram was benched this year, the Vikings later traded picks 53, 77, and 192 to the Indianapolis Colts for picks 42 and 122. With pick 42, they took Andrew Booth, a cornerback with an injury history but one considered by many to be a draft steal.
Todd McShay praised the selection of Cine, but he particularly highlighted Booth as a great pick at 42. He had expected Booth to be a first-rounder and had ranked him 27th overall. McShay also liked Ty Chandler, taken at pick 169, noting his speed and pass-catching ability, and predicting Chandler could emerge as the best value pick at running back in the 2022 draft.
However, Booth’s career with the Vikings was short-lived—he only played 23 games and started three. In August of the following year, the Vikings traded him to the Dallas Cowboys. Chandler remains with the team, but after the Vikings traded for Cam Akers twice, Akers took over as the backup running back.
In the end, the Vikings had seven picks in the 2022 draft, but only four of those players remain with the team.
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