Most would agree that with the Minnesota Vikings approaching NFL Week 9 in first place of the NFC North with a 6-1 record that first-year general manager Nolan Teasley needs to do something to improve the roster. The idea is to take advantage of the NFL’s best defense while trying to find a deal that can wake up an offense that ranks just 27th in scoring this season.

But what type of trade can the Vikings find? Of course there are opportunities to chase star talents, but what if the cost is just too rich for the Vikings’ liking? In turn, a cap-strapped team could turn to a lower-cost trade target instead.

Jackson Powers-Johnson Named as Low-Cost Minnesota Vikings Trade Target

While Vikings fans are fixated on how the team can upgrade at quarterback or get better production out of Kyler Murray by supplying him with a superstar rusher like Jonathan Taylor, others are reading the tea leaves of a recent roster transaction that said goodbye to guard Trevor Keegan. In turn, could the Vikings be nearing a trade for a versatile guard who could either replace or push Joe Huber, who’s taken over at left guard since Donovan Jackson’s season-ending injury?

On Thursday, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlined a “bargain target” for the Vikings ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. Barnwell’s suggestion? Call the Las Vegas Raiders about 23-year-old offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson, who’s fallen out of favor, being benched earlier this season. Powers-Johnson was the 44th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and has started 25 of 30 games with the Raiders.

“Jackson Powers-Johnson hasn’t had a great pro career with the Raiders, who benched the 2024 second-round pick earlier this season. Powers-Johnson has spent most of his time as a pro at guard, a curious choice for a player who was so good as a college center. Trading for Powers-Johnson would get the Vikings some depth on the interior, and if Minnesota likes him as a center long term, it could move Blake Brandel to guard next offseason.”

Bill Barnwell on Minnesota Vikings Trading for Jackson Powers-Johnson

While Powers-Johnson could be a solid buy-low candidate for the Vikings ahead of the deadline, Huber has been playing well at left guard thus far. Though, now that the team saw Keegan sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Vikings’ depth at guard is even more uncertain. Another injury could decimate the offensive line.

Powers-Johnson would at least provide an insurance policy at guard and possibly even center, not just for this year, but possibly next as well. Plus, since he’s still so young, perhaps a change of scenery could still help the former second-round pick live up to his full potential.