Heading into Week 8 of the 2028 NFL season, the Vikings should feel like contenders. Despite many experts having low expectations for the team, head coach Kevin O'Connell has the Purple and Gold as the only remaining undefeated team in the league.

Of course, a lot of credit has to go to O'Connell's coordinators. In particular, defensive coordinator Brian Flores has done an amazing job keeping the Vikings in games, while special teams coordinator Matt Daniels has provided sparks when needed.

Now is the time for general manager Nolan Teasley to do his part in helping the team stay successful this season.

3-step guide to help Nolan Teasley with Vikings' trade deadline plans

Teasley needs to follow a three-step plan to ensure that Minnesota has the talent necessary to close out the regular season strong and prepare for a potential Super Bowl run.

Step 1: Realize the Vikings' biggest needs

It is exciting when a team makes a trade, but unless the player acquired fills a need, the assets used in the trade would be better allocated elsewhere. Tealsy needs to pick apart the roster to look at each position and determine if help is needed.

For example, trading for a running back makes sense since Aaron Jones is banged up and Jordan Mason is the only other player at the position who can be trusted to be a contributor if Jones is forced to miss time.

On top of RBs, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer is reporting that that Minnesota is looking to get deeper in the trenches.

The Vikings have asked around on interior offensive and defensive linemen...

Not only is knowing the roster important, but knowing what assets the team has to make available for a potential trade is important. Teasley must spend the remaining salary cap space ($4.4 million, per Spotrac) wisely, take into account any draft picks that could be used for compensation, and not be afraid to part ways with a player who may not be in the team's long-term plans but might be appealing to another team.

Step 2: Keep the present in mind without jeopardizing the future

Just because the Vikings have nine picks lined up for the 2027 NFL Draft doesn't mean that they should all be used to execute a trade. Those draft selections are valuable, even if they won't help the team win games this season.

The salary cap is another major factor. Hefty contracts can make trading for a big-name player extremely challenging, especially if that player is at a high-profile position that commands a large salary cap hit. That said, the Vikings have over $37.7 million in available cap space for next season, just in case they're looking at any multi-year targets.

Finally, Teasley needs to work closely with the coaching staff to evaluate whether there are any players who might be able to be traded. No one knows better than they do who fits and who doesn't, so if there's anything that O'Connell & Co. need, Teasley must do what he can to deliver it—as long as it doesn't hurt the team's future.

Step 3: Remember that it's his first trade deadline as Vikings GM

Most Vikings fans would love to see Minnesota pull off a trade with the Colts for running back Jonathan Taylor, but there is a point where giving up too much for him would hurt the team's ability to prepare for the future.

The hardest part of pulling off a great trade is finding the balance between improving the current roster and not sacrificing too many assets to make the deal happen. While it can be disappointing to see Minnesota fail to acquire a top trade target, it is best not to overspend on an asset and jeopardize the franchise's future.

This is Teasley's first time as a team's general manager. He was hired after the 2026 NFL Draft, so a trade would be a determining factor in defining his performance. If he allows another team to get the best of Minnesota in a lopsided trade, it could leave a huge stain on his career and set the franchise back.

Just ask former Vikings GM Mike Lynn, who is best known for executing the trade with the Cowboys for Herschel Walker.

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