One trade, cut and signing the Minnesota Vikings should make

Coming off a disappointing 7-10 finish in 2023, the Minnesota Vikings enter the offseason with uncertainty at several significant positions. How they navigate free agency and the draft will likely go a long way in determining whether they will be contenders in the NFC North. 

With that in mind, here's one trade, cut and signing the Vikings should make. 

TRADE: Move up to draft a QB 

Whether or not the Vikings decide to bring back veteran Kirk Cousins, the franchise desperately needs to draft its quarterback of the future. Armed with the No. 11 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, they are in a position to select a QB high, but maybe not the one they want. 

With potentially four of the top five quarterback prospects expected to be off the board by the time the Vikings pick, jumping into the top five will likely be Minnesota's only avenue to grab its preferred choice. In the 2023 draft, the Carolina Panthers coughed up a pair of first and second-rounders, along with wideout D.J. Moore, for the right to select Bryce Young. The price for Minnesota to move up is likely to be as costly or more, but luckily, they have plenty of draft capital to use if they so desire. 

The Vikings saw what happens when you lose a competent QB following Cousins' season-ending injury. So, if the opportunity to move up for a prospect they're in love with presents itself – and it probably will – Minnesota should jump at the chance. Or, risk another lost year without a plan beyond, at best, a 35-year-old whose brightest days are behind him. 

CUT: Safety Harrison Smith 

At 35 years old, Smith may very well retire this offseason. If he doesn't, restructuring the final year of a four-year, $64 million deal is also a possibility, but one the veteran may not go for after doing the same only a year ago. 

That would leave the Vikings with only one painful option – cutting the former All-Pro. 

Releasing Smith would create $18.1 million in cap savings and the extra cash could be highly beneficial. Minnesota enters the offseason with roughly $35 million in cap space, the 13th-most in the NFL. 

Smith was durable last season, suiting up for all 17 regular season games. However, it's clear he's lost a step, as any 12-year veteran would. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith was the 40th-best safety in the NFL in 2023. If you're the Vikings, you're probably looking for better production from a player with the team's fourth-highest cap hit ($19.2 million). 

SIGN: Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie 

The Vikings struggled to stop opposing receivers through the air last season. Entering the campaign with Byron Murphy Jr., Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon and Andrew Booth probably isn't going to cut in 2024. An influx of veteran talent like Awuzie might help solidify the group. 

A former second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, Awuzie spent the last three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he developed into a more than serviceable corner. Awuzie did suffer a torn ACL in 2022, so he doesn't come without injury concerns. However, he returned in 2023, starting 10 of 15 games for Cincinnati, posting 57 tackles (two for loss), six pass defenses and a forced fumble. 

Admittedly, signing Awuzie isn't the sexiest of moves. Though considering the Vikings' cap-space situation, it could be one of the better bang-for-your-buck options on the table for Minnesota this offseason.