The Vikings could use a wide receiver, but GM Rick Spielman is unlikely to give up draft picks to get one before Thursday's trade deadline. (US Presswire)

Hurricane Sandy resulted in, among other things, the postponement of the NFL trading deadline to Thursday, but that doesn’t mean there will be much happening with the Vikings. They have been in need of help at wide receiver, but despite trade rumors around the NFL that include Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe and Panthers wideout Steve Smith, the rumors aren't rumbling at Winter Park.

Here's why:

  • During the offseason, the Vikings brought in free agent WR Jerome Simpson to be a field-stretching deep threat and his suspension (for violating the league’s substance abuse policy) and subsequent leg-numbness injury have not allowed them to fully realize his potential or gauge if his one-year contract is worth extending.

     
  • The Vikings are rebuilding, and while the 5-3 start gives rise to thoughts that they are more than a rebuilding team and should be making moves to get them into the playoffs and beyond, GM Rick Spielman probably isn’t ready to start throwing away draft choices to accomplish that. He let go of an undisclosed late-rounder at the beginning of the season to get CB A.J. Jefferson and fortify the secondary (and since Jefferson is 24, his career is more on the upside than tail end). But Spielman will likely hang onto the rest of his picks like a kid with the only bag of Halloween candy at a day-care facility.

     
  • The Vikings will likely begin negotiations (if they haven’t already) on a contract extension for the team’s main receiving weapon, Percy Harvin. Harvin, who is having another Pro Bowl-like season, will cost the team a pretty penny. To take on another expensive contract of a veteran wide receiver at this time just isn't in the cards.

     
  • The time isn't right for the Vikings. They are 5-3 with the toughest part of their schedule in front of them, and they're going to have to work to get to 8-8 or better and they might not make the playoffs. If they aren’t looking like they will get into the playoffs and make a deep run, spending precious rebuilding assets now for a non-playoff or one-and-done-type playoff run is pound foolish for a team that was 3-13 a season ago.

The bottom line is that Vikings really need to know how good this team is before they start taking on expensive veterans who may only be able to help them win now. The future is still more important than the present for this team. And if they do make the playoffs and play deep into January, they didn’t need that expensive receiver anyway.

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