According to the Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer on Wednesday, the Vikings wanted to acquire Browns offensive guard Kevin Zeitler and Minnesota was using Griffen as part of the trade package they were offering.
Cleveland eventually decided to send Zeitler packing, but not to the Vikings. Instead, the Browns traded the offensive guard and a 2019 fifth-round draft pick to the New York Giants in exchange for pass rusher Olivier Vernon and a 2019 fourth-round selection.
Vernon is three years younger than Griffen and this likely played a big part in Cleveland not taking Minnesota up on whatever they were offering for Zeitler.
HGTM will rejoice that they tried.
Not really. As I speculated at the time, it's fucked up if they recognized the HR opportunity but allowed themselves to be outbid. I get them wanting Vernon over Griffen, but if we threw in a 4th and 5th? Next year 3rd? I have a hard time believing we couldn't get it done.
To me it was the one can't miss move they could make as it would have meant acquiring an elite G and paying his salary within the trade, and cost us a fair price to get him. Biggest impact would then have been much much more flexibility in draft.
But hey, we got Kline so what am I worried about???
I have an extremely hard time believing this story. Simply because of how important pass rushing is, there would have been other trade opportunities.
I didn't read the article but I'm assuming he got this information from a "credible source". If Cleveland traded for a CB instead of Vernon I'm assuming the writer would have said Cleveland turned down a trade for Xavier.
Griffen, Weatherly and Hunter >>>> Weatherly, Hunter and Zietler
ONLY if the Vikings draft a 1st round Olinemen and another one in the first 4 rounds.
EDIT: If this trade was so important what would we of had to offer to beat the Vernon and 4th? Griffen and a 2nd?
Simpson Get Lifted wrote
Should have been WAY more booing from the home crowd imo. You have to drown out the cheers from Oscar.
Oscar on the Vikes:
"I am all in for a 4th place finish."
Deep Purple wrote: ↑Mon Apr 22, 2019 3:18 pm
DE would have been the biggest need for the Vikings if this pick happened.
Sure, but G would have been solidified! Plenty of DT/DE options in the draft early too.
thinktank wrote: ↑Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:15 am
I’m a successful consultant for some of the biggest and best companies in the world. I tell you about systems architecture, not the other way around.
Ash Ketchum wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:34 pm
IF Griffen is back 100% and he performs at even 80% of what he was in 2017, he will be far more impactful in 2019 than Zeitler would have been.
I would have done the trade I think, but Zeitler is a 10-12 million per year guy, so he’s not cheap.
Zeitler would have been a huge impact on this OLine. It also would have given the Vikings some flexibility in the draft. Now they almost have to draft OLine in one of the first 2 rounds.
This. A case can be made they must take 2 in first 3 rounds. But bank on this - RS will now (because of heat he has taken) now take a lineman at 18 no matter what, regardless of of the guy warrants being taken at 18 or worse yet, someone more elite is avail. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is my bet.
Trading EG would have been huge. I firmly subscribe to BB theory of must get rid of guys a year too early more than ever a year too late. Fail #1. Secondly, this was one way to pay for an elite G without costing us anything. Fail #2. Third, it leverages a team strength - we develop corners and DL well. So I believe in turning those assets into other needed assets.
Wish we could have gotten it done.
Totally agree with everything you said. BB is genius at getting rid of guys right as they are passing their peak.
Your three points were dead on. Maybe they should have thrown in a higher draft pick because a bird in the hand... I never like trading decent players for draft picks (except the Harvin trade), but when you can get a player at a position of great need that is already proven it is a done deal. Especially when Griffin's mental state is questionable from here on out. I still think we can get a few years out of him, but shoring up the line and freeing us up in the draft from need would have put this team in a much better position.
