Vikings Could Part Ways With Veteran Defensive Talent

The Minnesota Vikings are in the news a ton due to their wild quarterback situation, which pits J.J. McCarthy against Kyler Murray. But, the quarterback is just one piece of the puzzle. Defense is important, too, and now, the Vikings are being encouraged to make a trade before the start of the new season.

Moe Moton of Bleacher Report has released a feature where he names one blockbuster trade each franchise should make before the 2026 season starts. “We could get more transactional fireworks this summer, or at least see moves that we expected teams to make, like the Brown deal, before final roster cuts on August 30,” he states.

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For the Vikings, he wants them to trade safety Theo Jackson, noting that he made their tally of “potential cut candidates after the Minnesota Vikings selected safety Jakobe Thomas in the third round of this year’s draft.”

Moton adds: “Jackson is among the Vikings’ trade candidates for the same reason. Moreover, he could garner interest from the Washington Commanders, who hired Minnesota’s former defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator, Daronte Jones.”

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This past season, Jackson had an improved run and showed notable improvement, notching 47 tackles, with three for loss, and two sacks in 14 games. On the downside, Jackson allowed a 131.5 passer rating and 71.4 percent completion rate, so these are areas where he needs to grow. But, Jackson still has solid numbers and could attract several franchises who are in need of a decent safety if the Vikings decide to pursue a trade.

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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 12:41 PM.