Minnesota Vikings’ NFC North Rivals Dealing Early on NFL Trade Deadline Day

NFL trade deadline day is upon us. At 3 p.m. CST on Tuesday, trades will no longer be allowed to happen during the 2024 NFL season. Will the 6-2 Minnesota Vikings swing a deal? All signs point to yes, but how big that swing will be is TBD. One thing is for sure, though.

Minnesota Vikings rivals wheeling and dealing this morning

If Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah suffers from FOMO, then he is feeling very left out this morning, after two NFC North rivals made splash trades early on Tuesday. First, the Detroit Lions traded a 5th round pick and a 6th round pick to the Cleveland Browns, for familiar EDGE rusher Za’Darius Smith and a 7th round pick.

Sources: The #Browns are trading standout edge Za'Darius Smith to the #Lions, who add a key presence on the edge to help make up for the loss of Aidan Hutchinson.

It’s Smith and a 2026 7th going to Detroit for a 2025 5th and a 2026 6th. A major move. pic.twitter.com/gtCs86rL97

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2024

Smith returns to the NFC North, after previous stints with both the Vikings and Green Bay Packers. In Cleveland, Za’Darius compiled 10.5 sacks in 25 games (5 this season), after recording 10 sacks in 16 games wearing purple and gold for one magical 2022 season.

The former Raven, Packer, Viking and now Brown has had a good, not great season. His 73.6 PFF grade is his lowest since 2018 (outside of 2021 when he was injured and only played 18 total snaps). His 39.3 tackle grade is by far the worst of his 10 year NFL career and his 71.1 pass rush grade is his worst since 2017.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Get Right Victory Over Colts

But now he plays for the Detroit Lions, which will motivate Za’Darius Smith to play better. So I expect him to be a monster on the back half of 2024. No doubt, the division leading Lions got better this morning.

Chicago Bears sell off Khalil Herbert at NFL Trade Deadline

While the Detroit Lions got better this morning, the Chicago Bears might be going into sell mode, after falling to 4-4 over the weekend. The first sign of how the day could go came when they dealt once-promising running back Khalil Herbert to the Cincinnati Bengals for pennies on the dollar (7th round pick).

Source: The #Bears get a seventh-rounder in exchange for sending RB Khalil Herbert to the #Bengals.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 5, 2024

Herbert was drafted in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft and, at one point, was supposed to be the backfield future for the Bears. Last year, in a split backfield with D’Onta Foreman, Herbert ran for 611 yards on 132 carries (4.6 YPC) and 2 touchdowns.

This season, with DeAndre Swift now on roster and taking nearly all rushing attempts in Chicago, Herbert has seen just 8 carries, which he has taken for 16 yards and a touchdown. According to PFF, the 26-year-old out of Virginia Tech has been on the field for just 27 total offensive snaps all season.

Related: 5 Minnesota Vikings Trade Targets Worth Trading a First-Round Pick For

Now, Herbert heads to Cincinnati and the Bears are heading for the bottom of the NFC North. Now, will the Minnesota Vikings counterpunch what the Detroit Lions did, in adding Za’Darius Smith? Or, are Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores happy with the personnel they have for the stretch run? We’ll find out the answers to all those questions over the next six hours before the NFL trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. CST.