From PFF:
M
INNESOTA VIKINGS G
EZRA CLEVELAND →
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Trade compensation: Sixth-round pick
Jaguars: GoodMany expected the Jaguars to add pass-rush help, but this is a sharp move in the meantime. Jaguars guard/tackle
Walker Little has dealt with a few injuries this season, as has veteran right guard
Brandon Scherff, so the team gets great swing guard depth here to protect
Trevor Lawrence in case it becomes necessary. Cleveland was also a tackle in college if that comes into play, though we’d imagine Little will be the reserve swing tackle.
Cleveland is earning a career-high 72.3 pass-blocking grade so far in 2023 but has yet to hit a 55.0 mark for a full season, which is the reason this trade compensation is so little despite his solid grading profile this year. Cleveland has four straight seasons of earning run-blocking grades of 67.5 or better and over 3,000 snaps of experience on his rookie contract. The former second-round pick is a great depth piece for Jacksonville going forward.
Vikings: Below averageCleveland was replaced in the starting lineup by veteran
Dalton Risner, who is not quite as good of a run-blocker in space but is a far superior pass-blocker who also brings a nastiness and edge to his game.
Nonetheless, a sixth-round pick and nothing else from a legitimate Super Bowl contender for a starting-caliber guard, even in a contract year, is a fairly underwhelming return for Minnesota.
ARIZONA CARDINALS QB
JOSH DOBBS, SEVENTH-ROUND PICK →
MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Trade compensation: Sixth-round pick
Vikings: GoodHow can you not love Josh Dobbs getting another starting opportunity? Dobbs will have to acclimate to another team and playbook very quickly, as he did preparing for Week 1 with the Cardinals in merely two weeks after getting traded from the
Cleveland Browns, but two connections could be key here.
First, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was with the
Minnesota Vikings from 2014 to 2017, so perhaps he was able to provide some perspective on the organization. Second, Dobbs shares an agent with
Kirk Cousins, so the two probably know each other already, and now Cousins can mentor him when he feels up for it following his Achilles injury.
The Vikings don’t completely give up on their season, and superstar wide receiver
Justin Jefferson can return to play with a solid and established quarterback the rest of the way.
Cardinals: GoodArizona traded a fifth-round pick for Dobbs and a seventh-round pick before the season, and they now receive a sixth-round pick for Dobbs and a seventh about three months later. Starting quarterback
Kyler Murray has been a full practice participant for a week now, and rookie
Clayton Tune could make a spot start or two in the meantime.
Arizona got a lot out of Dobbs’ time with the team. Dobbs had a low pressure-to-sack rate of 15.9% that ranked 12th on the year, helping first-round rookie
Paris Johnson learn the game as he blocked for a quarterback who didn’t invite pressure. Rookie wide receiver
Michael Wilson has also gotten his career off to a fast start with 25 receptions, 401 yards and two touchdowns while earning a 70.5 grade on the season. These little things matter as the Cardinals execute what so far looks to be a nearly flawless franchise reset.