The Minnesota Vikings have made multiple trades ahead of the trade deadline. After acquiring Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals, the Vikings traded left guard Ezra Cleveland to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth round pick.
The move itself is interesting. Cleveland is better than the compensation of a sixth-round pick, but his compensatory selection would have likely been a 5th. The Jaguars didn’t send their sixth-round pick, but rather the one owned by the Carolina Panthers. That pick will likely be one after the compensatory fifth-round picks.
When the move was announced, there was a lot of mixed reactions from both analysts and fans alike on Twitter.
feels like bad asset management to trade away a guard for a 6th round pick and create a hole there in 2024. Risner isn't under contract either, so you either have to pay him or spend more than that 6 to replace him
— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) October 31, 2023
For context on this deal: Ezra Cleveland is an impending free agent. Dalton Risner has stepped in during these last two weeks and performed admirably against good fronts, especially against the pass. MIN also likes Blake Brandel as backup. A way to recoup draft capital. https://t.co/xewBbVS6t1
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) October 31, 2023
Obvious Jaguars connection with Ezra Cleveland is OL coach Phil Rauscher, who was in Minnesota for the first two years of Cleveland's career
— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) October 31, 2023
Cleveland is the 8th highest rated guard per PFF. What he would’ve fetched in free agency might have been a Day 2 pick…
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) October 31, 2023
nah this is dumb, he's legitimately so much better of a fit for this team with Dobbs at QB.
Risner is good at pass pro, but Cleveland is a massive improvement in the run game https://t.co/m42zZgBzPG
— Jonathan 🔥 (@JonathanNFL_) October 31, 2023
This is nice work by the #Jaguars even if they don’t re-sign him (but they might).
Day 3 pick for a young, healthy offensive lineman who is having a breakout season.
Jags playing for now as they should.
Near impossible to find capable OL in the offseason let alone in season. https://t.co/xmTtCXez0a— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) October 31, 2023
KWESI IS COOKING https://t.co/tQv1BWD8af
— Eric Thompson (@eric_j_thompson) October 31, 2023
One of the dumbest trades I have seen. You have a top 20 guard, who has significant experience at tackle, who's play has been a consistently upward trajectory, and who has been a meaningful strength of a unit who has been weak for a decade. Could have at least used him to move up https://t.co/bPAMVOZhKG
— Midwest Hopes (@MnHopes) October 31, 2023
awful awful awful trade, i can’t even begin to vocalize how much i hate this. just so bad. he better have been asking for tackle money that we can’t come close to or this is a perspective-changer for me on kwesi https://t.co/4Lc0xAnRch
— tom (@amblivien) October 31, 2023
The move makes sense but feel like Minnesota could’ve and should’ve gotten more for Ezra. https://t.co/dw2OOxBiJG
— Josh Berg (@JoshBerg0611) October 31, 2023
Standout guard?! Look I appreciate Cleveland and his time with the team, but guy lost his job and should have maybe a week or 2 sooner… best of luck though in Jax! https://t.co/4L7ihfMuHh
— Ben (@515CyVikes) October 31, 2023
LETS GO! Let Kwesi Cook! https://t.co/IIBKWI0H0Q
— Seth Mitzel (@SkolMitzel) October 31, 2023
Always made sense for this move to happen with the addition of Risner. Ezra was having a very good year and will do well in Jacksonville. Another example of fans over valuing their own assets though, discourse around Vikings Twitter was can you get a 3 or 4? Answer was always no https://t.co/Gxc1PIAN9C
— STOP ADDING VOID YEARS (@joe_draft) October 31, 2023
Going from Cleveland to Risner is a choice https://t.co/NtKmtV3zzX
— King's Landing (@___theKing___) October 31, 2023
