Vikings Trade 1st Round Pick To Tampa Bay! At Least I Think They Should

I love to follow the drama that is the NFL Draft.  I have been reading so many mock drafts that have the Vikings taking the very safe and good pick in OT Matt Kalil.  Then there are those who think the Vikings should roll the dice with flashy WR Justin Blackmon.

Anyone who follows the NFC North knows the risk in taking WR's in the first round.  Detroit did it for several years in a row and only landed one stud in Calvin Johnson.  The Vikings have many areas of weakness so any extra picks they can get are a bonus.

Tampa Bay comes into this conversation if you believe the buzz that they really covet Alabama RB Trent Richardson.  The Vikings draft 3rd, the Buccaneers draft 5th and Cleveland, who picks in between, isn't discussing who they want, but they could certainly use Richardson.  This leaves the Vikings with a trade scenario I believe they should pull the trigger on.

I think the Vikings should trade

their 3rd overall pick to Tampa Bay.  They swap first round picks in exchange for Tampa Bay's 2nd or 3rd round pick and we give them a later pick.  Tampa would then take RB Trent Richardson, who the Vikings have no interest in.  We let Cleveland take Justin Blackmon or Matt Kalil, the choice is theirs.  The Vikings would then get either Kalil or Blackmon, or Morris Claiborne for that matter, and acquire an additional early round pick to fill another need.

I realize you need a partner to make a trade, but with Cleveland remaining a wild card, that leaves the Vikings open to make this type of deal.  That would allow them to fill a one desperate need and also add another blue chip talent to their depleted roster.  Thoughts?