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We're down to less than eight hours until the NFL Draft begins, and NFL insider Albert Breer has just sent out a compelling set of tweets about the Vikings. He has said that the Vikings, basically, have a lot of options available to them once they go on the clock:
As I said on Path, Vikings have identified five players they'd feel comfortable with at 8. Club has talked to five teams about a trade down.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 8, 2014
I've always felt strongly that the Vikings would love to trade down, and the more I'm reading and hearing, the more surprised I'll be if they DON'T pull the trigger on a trade. Breer made no mention of who the players they're comfortable with are, naturally, but it seems unlikely that all five will be gone when the Vikings pick. If they can't swing a trade, I have a feeling the guy they'll pick will be a CB, one of either Darqueze Dennard or Justin Gilbert, or one of the 'names we're not talking about at 8', as Spielman said in his presser a couple days ago.
But with Spielman, everything is a potential smokescreen:
Rick Spielman told me what he likes about being at 8 is Vikes should have pick of the litter at several spots -- CB, DT, ILB ... maybe QB.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 8, 2014
I still believe QB is their #1 option, but I'll be stunned if all of the big three are still on the board. I don't believe any of the mocks that show Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater lasting into the teens--it's not happening. But that means a guy like Sammy Watkins or Khalil Mack might be around, which would be good news for Minnesota, either in terms of picking a guy or trading down.
Look, I don't know what's going to happen. I think if they stay at eight and Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater are around, they'll take them. But I fully expect a trade.
But no matter what they do, any team with an autographed Sgt. Slaughter pic in their draft room is ready to go:
Bulletin board in the Vikings studio ... Cell phone service is terrible down here, but I can get on board with this pic.twitter.com/WMgz0mJMzF
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 8, 2014
Hang in there, it's almost over.