If the rumors play out, then the Minnesota Vikings could have their cake and eat it too. Which, translated from cliche to English, means they could trade down, pick up a second-round pick and still get one of the three players they covet.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' supposed love affair with Trent Richardson could give the Vikings big-time leverage with their pick at No. 3 -- one slot ahead of the Cleveland Browns, who are also apparently enamored with Richardson.
NBC Sports had this to say about the Bucs-Richardson-Browns saga:
All the reports out of Minnesota suggest that the Vikings have three players they're considering with the third overall pick: USC left tackle Matt Kalil, Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. If the Vikings have equal grades on all three guys, the perfect scenario would be to trade down just far enough that they can be sure they'll get one of those three.
A trade with the Buccaneers would be just the deal to do that.
Alabama running back Trent Richardson appears to be a player the Bucs, with the fifth overall pick, absolutely love. But he also appears to be a player the Browns, with the fourth overall pick, absolutely love. And so a Bucs-Vikings trade is the only way for the Bucs to get ahead of the Browns and get Richardson....
If that happens, and if the Browns take Claiborne, then the Vikings could choose between Kalil and Blackmon. Lots of ifs, but then again it's Draft day.
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