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Friday open thread: Which player on the Vikings would you want on the Lions roster?

The Vikings have young talent on both sides of the ball.

Cleveland Browns v Minnesota Vikings Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Each week, as part of game preview articles, I’ll be using the Question of the Day post to examine the roster of the Detroit Lions’ upcoming opponent. I’ll sort through their top players, narrowing the list based on a few key aspects (like being currently active), then present the following question to the fans base:

Which player on the Vikings would you want on the Lions roster?

The Minnesota Vikings have spent the last few years shedding cap space and investing in young players. Some of those investments haven't worked out, while others have become key fixtures in the foundation of the team. Here are a few Vikings, young and old, that are important pieces to their organization.

Kirk Cousins, QB (Age: 33). An established quarterback that is never going to be amongst the elite in the game, but he has proven to be an above-average option in the league. He’s coming off a bad game but he was solid the three weeks prior—which is typical behavior over his career.

Justin Jefferson, WR (Age: 22). Jefferson lit the division on fire last year to the tune of 88 catches for 1400 yards and seven touchdowns. This season, he’s picked up where he left off and is on pace to eclipse his rookie numbers.

Dalvin Cook, RB (Age: 26). An every-down player capable of not ever leaving the field, Cook is a rare running back in today’s rotation-heavy league. That being said, injuries have been a problem for the 26-year-old and he has cap hits of $12, $14, $15.6, and $14.5 million over the next four seasons.

Danielle Hunter, EDGE (Age: 27). Hunter has been a menace in the Lions side for several years now and has established himself as a premium pass rusher over the last half-decade. A $26 million cap hit in 2022 may be his only flaw.

Eric Kendricks, LB (Age: 29). One of the best cover linebackers in the NFL, Kendricks has come into his own the last two seasons, though he’s been average so far this season. He still has three years remaining on his contract, each with a double-digit million cap hit, so expectations are high for him in Minnesota.

Harrison Smith, S (Age: 32). Despite being 32-years-old, Smith just signed a four-year contract extension that made him the second highest-paid safety in the league, which speaks to how well he continues to play.

My choice: Justin Jefferson

A dominating receiver at the beginning of his career, Jefferson would be the ideal player to add to the Lions rebuild. The Lions will surely be looking to add at the position this offseason and they’d be lucky to land a player with the upside Jefferson possesses.

Am I right? Wrong? Which Viking would you steal away?

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