Nolan Teasley is still in his early stages as Minnesota Vikings general manager, but there’s a lot to look forward to as he settles in. His previous employer, the Seattle Seahawks, built championship infrastructure through the draft, but another aspect he could bring to Minnesota is a willingness to make trades to improve the team.
The first opportunity to make a deal may have come early on Friday as NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. “is a name multiple teams around the NFL have wondered about” as he enters the final year of his contract.
While the Vikings would have to outbid whatever teams are keeping an eye on the situation, it’s also an opportunity that could allow Teasley to bring some of the Seahawks’ championship philosophy — and a new cornerback — to Minnesota.
Joey Porter Jr. could help Nolan Teasley bring his trade philosophy to the Minnesota Vikings
The Seahawks built their foundation for a championship in large part due to trades involving Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf. While those deals brought Charles Cross, Devon Witherspoon, and Nick Emmanwori to Seattle, there were also lesser-profile trades that brought in strong complementary talent.
Leonard Williams was one player the Seahawks acquired, sending a 2024 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the New York Giants in October 2023. Seattle also acquired Ernest Jones IV for Jerome Baker and a 2025 fourth-round pick, giving them another piece to their “Dark Side” defense.
Last season’s run to the championship also saw the Seahawks acquire Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints, giving them a strong depth receiver and kick returner, and working between the margins helped elevate Sam Darnold (whose spot was opened after Seattle traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders) and helped them win a title.
In some ways, it’s not that far off from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s willingness to trade in season, including a 2022 deal for T.J. Hockenson. But most of the other moves came during a moment of crisis, such as Joshua Dobbs’s arrival after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon in 2023 and Cam Robinson brought in after Christian Darrisaw suffered a multiligament knee injury in 2024.
The annual trade for Cam Akers was also a staple for the Vikings in the past, but there’s a chance that Teasley could eye Porter as a more impactful addition to the Minnesota secondary.
Porter could give the Vikings a long-term solution at cornerback
The Vikings’ secondary has plenty of questions going into this season, but while the safety room is still waiting on Harrison Smith, the group of cornerbacks is even more concerning.
Byron Murphy Jr. is expected to play more on the inside this season, and Isaiah Rodgers will man one of the outside cornerback spots. James Pierre was signed this offseason to play the other role, but rookie Charles Demmings has provided a challenge for the CB3 role.
While Demmings has flashed frequently during training camp and the preseason, it may be too much to ask for him to step in and contribute right away, and adding Porter could be a long-term piece that could solidify the Vikings’ secondary.
Murphy has one year remaining on the three-year, $54 million contract he signed last offseason and Rodgers is set to be a free agent at the end of this season. Hitting on Demmings would be great but Porter is an established option that has allowed 101 catches, 1,298 yards and a touchdown with 21 pass breakups and a 71.5 passer rating on 186 targets in his first three years according to Pro Football Focus.
Porter’s 36 penalties (12 declined) needs to be cleaned up and his $23.4 million market value projection by Spotrac means the Vikings would have to spend more than they have on cornerbacks in the past. It could also depend on the Pittsburgh Steelers’s season as they look to try and make Aaron Rodgers’s final season a successful one.
But if Porter becomes available, Teasley may place a call and land the first building block toward making the Vikings a legitimate championship contender.
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