The Minnesota Vikings are now sitting at 6-1 and are atop the NFC North despite losing in Week 8 to the Detroit Lions. That loss exposed the team, though, as they showed that despite how good their defense is, they cannot do everything for this team.

Luckily for them, the trade deadline appears to be active, which could give the Vikings a chance to acquire some season-changing talent.

The activity of this trade deadline made ESPN ask its beat writers a unique question in their latest power rankings. They asked them to identify the biggest in-season trade each franchise has made. ESPN's Kevin Seifert chose the acquisition of Jim Marshall in 1961 as the Vikings' biggest move.

He writes, "As they began their inaugural season, the Vikings acquired five players from the Browns in exchange for second- and 11th-round picks in the 1962 draft. Marshall was among that group and went on to become one of the best players in franchise history. He set an NFL record that stood for decades by playing in 282 consecutive games, and he was a captain for 14 seasons that included four trips to the Super Bowl. Upon Marshall's death in 2025, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton called him 'the greatest leader in football that I've ever played with.'"

The former high school and collegiate All-American made his impact known with the Vikings. His number is retired with the team; he is in the ring of honor, and in 2026 his legacy is alive and well, as Seifert made sure of by pointing him out.