The undefeated Vikings need to decide how aggressive they will be before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 10. If the Purple and Gold feel they are truly contenders, general manager Nolan Teasley should do what he can to strengthen the roster and prepare for a potential playoff run.

The Vikings have been fortunate to lean on defensive coordinator Brian Flores's unit and the strong leg of kicker Will Reichard through the first five games of the season, but teams will soon start exploiting any weaknesses Minnesota's roster could have.

Much of the trade talk around the Purple and Gold involves offensive players, as Vikings fans want to see the team trade for a weapon to help put points on the board. That said, the team's biggest weakness is actually a defensive position that desperately needs more depth.

Safety is easily the Vikings' biggest weakness as trade deadline approaches

The strong play of other defenders, particularly close to the line of scrimmage, has hidden the Vikings' struggles at safety fairly well. At one time, the combination of Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus was enough to carry the position, but that duo has struggled to be effective this year.

Smith is 37 years old and in his ninth season as a pro. For the first time in his career, he is playing less than half of Minnesota's defensive snaps. Even in his limited role, he has been the worst safety in the league, earning a 31.5 Pro Football Focus grade—dead last among 98 qualified players.

Metellus isn't much better than Smith when it comes to PFF. The 28-year-old defensive back's 40.2
grade ranks him 93rd while allowing a 145.8 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.

Even Theo Jackson (63.7 PFF grade) and Jay Ward (59.9 PFF grade) have been just okay. However, Ward has only played two defensive snaps, while Jackson has been attempting to pick up the slack with 191 defensive snaps.

The Vikings have rookies Jacob Thomas and Jakobe Thomas on the roster to insert into the lineup when they are ready, but Minnesota needs to do something to get better play at the safety position this year.

Don't be surprised if the Purple and Gold explore trade options before the Nov. 10 deadline. To keep the defense strong for the rest of the season, adding an experienced safety to Flores's aggressive unit would prove that the Vikings are serious about being contenders this season.

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