Thank you for submitting questions for this Vikings mailbag. You can send questions to @Andrew_Krammer on X (formerly Twitter) or andrew.krammer@startribune.com. Listen for answers to more reader questions on the weekly Access Vikings podcast or find them here. Let's get to it.
Q: What kind of draft capital would it take to move up to Arizona's spot in the draft? Do we have the cap space to go get a premier defender if we re-sign Hunter, Jefferson, Cousins, Hicks, and Risner? — Murray
AK: Answering the former first: there have been two recent trades from the No. 12 slot to the No. 3 overall pick. The Vikings currently have the No. 11 pick. To get up to the Cardinals' spot at No. 4 overall, the framework of the trade might look similar to moves made by the Texans last year and the 49ers in 2021.
Last year, Houston sent the 12th pick, an early second-round pick (33rd overall), and 2024 first- and third-round picks. The Texans got a fourth-round pick in return and moved up to No. 3 for edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. A few years ago, the 49ers sent the 12th pick, two additional first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up to No. 3 for quarterback Trey Lance. The base value appears to be two additional first-round picks and a third-round pick for that kind of jump. The Texans got a better deal, and they essentially recouped the third-round pick by flipping the fourth rounder they got back for a 2024 third.
As far as cap space, OverTheCap.com has the Vikings with the 14th-most effective cap space entering this offseason. The actual dollar amount will change with expected moves. Whether safety Harrison Smith plays a 13th season, he likely won't be playing under a $19 million cap figure. More than $11 million would be created with his release. A Cousins extension can actually create cap space because he's already on the books for $28.5 million in dead money from previous deals. Some creative accounting on a new deal can push even more cap charges down the road. Contract extensions aren't the only roadblock to affording a premier defender in free agency. The Vikings need strong role players, too, and require both quantity and quality from their free-agent class. They currently have 20 unrestricted free agents on their own roster, including defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard, edge rusher D.J. Wonnum, guard Dalton Risner and others who may leave.
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Q: What player on the roster this year gave the Vikings the best bang for the buck? — David
AK: Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips had a star-level workload, becoming the first Vikings defensive tackle since Kevin Williams in 2012 to play more than 70% of the snaps in a season. Phillips played 680 snaps — or nearly 74% — for a rate that trailed only seven other interior NFL defenders, most of whom are the position's highest paid like the Rams' Aaron Donald. Phillips is in the "middle class" of D-line starters, ranking 39th in average salary. He probably played too much. His effectiveness waned, but the Vikings needed him. By the end of the season, interior defenders Dean Lowry, James Lynch and Jaquelin Roy were all sidelined by injuries.
