Vikings Rumor Mill Rundown: Dexter Lawrence, Stefon Diggs, Trading for De’Von Achane

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is 11 days out for the Minnesota Vikings, and the second wave of weekend rumors has arrived.

Three more Vikings rumors are making the rounds as the draft gets closer.

We publish two rumor rounds each weekend, tracking the latest chatter as things pick up speed around the purple orbit. Here’s a look at Sunday’s batch.

Purple Weekend Chatter Swings to Defensive Line, Wide Receiver, and Running Back

A look at the Purple Rumor mill just a week and a half before the draft.

New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) warms up before kickoff on Sep 26, 2024, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, preparing for game action. The Pro Bowl defender went through pregame drills as he readied himself to anchor the interior line in front of a home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Julian Guadalupe-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Rumor: Dexter Lawrence is for sale via trade, and the Vikings make sense as a landing spot.

Lawrence formally requested a trade this week, starting the John Harbaugh era in New York on a sour note. It didn’t take long for the trade packages to emerge,

*SI.com’*s Will Ragatz wrote about Minnesota as a destination, “Vikings get: DT Dexter Lawrence. Giants get: 2026 second-round pick (No. 49), 2027 fifth-round pick. The biggest barrier for the Vikings is the financial side. They’d have to do some serious cap maneuvering to add Lawrence’s contract and give him a raise to top-of-the-market DT money.”

“The only way it really works is if they end up trading Greenard in a separate deal, which would free up some cap space and also presumably get them a new second-round pick. Lawrence may be a better fit within the Vikings’ current roster construction, but the easier move would be to simply pay Greenard instead of executing two different major trades.”

VikingsTerritoryoffered this alternative on Twitter (X), a proposal quickly panned by Giants fans as outrageous.

Giants Get —
No. 18
No. 82

Vikings Get —
Dexter Lawrence
No. 37

Regardless, the idea is out there. The Vikings just offloaded two of their starting DTs in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. A team that did that should at least be mentioned in the Lawrence trade sweepstakes.

Rumor: Stefon Diggs, a free agent, should realize Minnesota is his best landing spot.

Diggs is available on the open market, and he was finally linked to the Vikings this week.

CBS Sports‘ Garrett Podell explained the fit, “Diggs’ legal trouble is likely why he remains available. He pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation and other criminal charges following an alleged assault of his personal chef. Diggs’ attorney, Mitchell Schuster, claims his client is ‘completely innocent.'”

“If Diggs’ legal process is resolved, a homecoming to the Minnesota Vikings makes plenty of sense. Jalen Nailor departed for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, so there’s an opening at Minnesota’s WR3 spot after 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson and former first-round pick Jordan Addison.”

Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) walks along the sideline on Oct 27, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, ahead of a game against the Indianapolis Colts. Diggs stayed focused during pregame moments as he prepared to lead the Texans’ passing attack in a divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images.

Diggs left Minnesota six years ago but remains a keynote figure in the franchise’s lore because of his role in the Minneapolis Miracle of 2017 (2018).

Podell added, “Kevin O’Connell wasn’t the coach in Minnesota when Diggs departed to the Buffalo Bills via a 2020 trade request, and he needs to get Minnesota back to the playoffs in 2026 after a disastrous 2025 with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Providing Kyler Murray with three high-caliber wideouts would certainly be helpful toward that cause.”

“Plus, Diggs wouldn’t have to work as hard to get open as he ages playing alongside Jefferson and company. Ideal landing spot: Minnesota Vikings.”

If Minnesota does not leave the draft with a serious WR3 candidate, expect Diggs rumors to pick up further.

Rumor: The Vikings could trade for Dolphins RB De’Von Achane.

Fox Sports‘ Ralph Vacchiano rolled out one trade idea per franchise week, and according to him, it’s Achane to the Vikings.

He explained the swap, “Acquire: RB De’Von Achane from the Miami Dolphins. Cost: 2026 third-round pick (82nd), fifth-round pick (163rd). The Vikings brought back Aaron Jones, but he’s 31 and constantly battling injuries. And while he’s a good receiver out of the backfield, Achane is a great one, a much faster and more dynamic player overall and seven years younger (24).”

“The Dolphins say they want to keep him after he ran for 1,350 yards and caught 67 passes for 488 yards last season. But they have the look of a team undergoing a fire sale, so surely they have their price. Achane will need a contract extension, so maybe a third-round pick and change will do it. The Dolphins would be crazy to say no for a second-rounder.”

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (28) carries the ball on Dec 29, 2024, at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, as Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) wraps him up during first-quarter action. Achane fought through contact while pushing forward in a physical matchup on the road. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images.

Achane skipped the Dolphins’ voluntary workouts this week, setting the stage for a summer holdout if no extension is met.

And remember: the Vikings now employ Achane’s offensive coordinator from the last three seasons: Frank Smith.