Tomorrow is the official deadline for roster reductions in the NFL. By tomorrow afternoon, every team in the league must have reduced its roster from 90 players to 53 players. Many of these player movements have already taken place, but many more are still pending. And that movement doesn’t necessarily just mean players being released or released.
Transfers are a real possibility as teams look to get back players they would otherwise release and other teams look to sign players without competing with the entire league on the free agent market. For the Minnesota Vikings, cornerback Akayleb Evans is one of those players who could be a tempting offer to transfer.
According to Alec Lewis, Minnesota Vikings sports reporter for The Athletic, it’s likely that the Vikings are looking to trade the third-year cornerback. Trading Evans would free up a spot on the roster for someone like Dwight McGlothern, who has been a standout in training camp and the preseason.
If the Vikings can trade Evans for a late-round draft pick, it could not only give a talented young player a chance on the roster, but also improve their flexibility for the 2025 NFL Draft. As things stand, the Vikings only have three picks in the upcoming draft. They will likely receive a compensatory pick for lost free agents, but that has yet to be announced.
Trading Evans for a draft pick would help the team feel a little better about their draft position and give them more room to maneuver during the draft. It’s still not much, but it’s a start. And that could be improved even further if the team tries to trade their defensive back Lewis Cine and succeeds.
