Latest rumor suggests Vikings tried to trade up earlier in first round, but not for J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings were active in the first round of the NFL Draft, trading up from No. 11 to No. 10 to land quarterback J.J. McCarthy, then trading up from No. 23 to No. 17 to acquire Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner. Both figure to occupy important roles next season as the franchise blazes a trail beyond Kirk Cousins.

But, according to the latest intel from Mike Florio on NFL Network, the Vikings made another push to trade up — all the way to No. 5 with the Los Angeles Chargers. Their target wasn't McCarthy, though. Their target was LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Now, we can quibble with the believability of this scenario all we want, but Florio is a plugged-in dude and the Vikings were clearly in a talent-acquisition mode on Thursday night. Nabers is a major athlete. In a normal year, without Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze on his level, Nabers would have been the easy WR1 and a hot ticket for just about every team.

With Justin Jefferson's future in Minnesota looking increasingly murky, the Vikings' alleged desire to land a new star playmaker could hint at the front office's preference moving forward. Also hailing from LSU, Jefferson wants to become the highest-paid WR in NFL history. He has earned such a deal. If the Vikings don't feel like they're in a position to dish it out, however, the 24-year-old's days with the franchise could be numbered.

Vikings tried to trade for LSU WR Malik Nabers in first round of NFL Draft

Minnesota surely isn't complaining about how the first round played out. McCarthy fell into their lap at No. 10, requiring a less expensive trade-up than mock drafts projected. Turner was universally mocked in the top 10, and he fell all the way to No. 17 as a convenient upgrade to a Vikings pass rush that recently lost Danielle Hunter.

Still, the idea of Nabers serving as the Vikings' bridge to the future at WR is utterly shocking. It's a possibility that wasn't been discussed in most NFL forums pre-draft, despite the lingering uncertainty tied to Jefferson's contract. The Vikings have arguably the best WR in the NFL on their roster. At some point, it becomes foolish not to lock him down and build from there. McCarthy is already getting along with Minnesota's All-Pro wideout, from the looks of it.

Nabers would have been much cheaper for the foreseeable future, however, and he's an absolute game-breaking talent. It's unfair to hold him to the same standards as Jefferson, but would the New York Giants have traded the No. 6 pick for Jefferson straight up? It's a thought to chew on.

The Vikings' offense is generally favorable to all personnel, but especially wideouts. Nabers would have been well taken care of by Kevin O'Connell, regardless of who's throwing him the football. Instead, however, he's slated to catch passes from Daniel Jones in a far less inspiring Giants offense. Such is life.

Minnesota and Jefferson continue to wait for the other to blink. A contract has to get done eventually, as it's impossible to replace Jefferson straight up, but clearly the Vikings are at least monitoring alternatives. Very little is set in stone. Or, heck, maybe the Vikings wanted to unleash Jefferson and Nabers together, terrorizing the league for the next decade. Now that is a fun thought.