Minnesota moved up from No. 59 to No. 44 in the 1999 draft to…
Minnesota moved up from No. 59 to No. 44 in the 1999 draft to select tight end/fullback Jim Kleinsasser, sending Pittsburgh the 59th, 73rd and 163rd selections. Kleinsasser became a durable 13-year Viking and appeared in 181 games, but Pittsburgh used No. 73 on linebacker Joey Porter, whose peak as an All-Pro pass rusher gives the Steelers the stronger return.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1999 2nd round pick (44th overall, Jim Kleinsasser)
Pittsburgh Steelers Received
- pick 1999 2nd round pick (59th overall, Scott Shields), 1999 3rd round pick (73rd overall, Joey Porter ) and 1999 5th round pick (163rd overall subsequently traded, Craig Heimburger )
Trade Analysis
Minnesota's move was understandable because Jim Kleinsasser became exactly the kind of long-tenured role player teams hope to find outside the first round. The Vikings traded picks 59, 73 and 163 to Pittsburgh for No. 44 and used it on the North Dakota product. Kleinsasser spent his entire career in Minnesota, appearing in 181 regular-season games over 13 seasons. His receiving totals were modest, but he was valued as a blocking specialist, H-back and fullback who could handle multiple assignments. That longevity keeps Minnesota's side well above a poor grade.
Pittsburgh, however, found the best player in the exchange. The Steelers used No. 59 on Scott Shields, whose NFL career was brief, then selected Joey Porter at No. 73. Porter developed into one of the defining linebackers of Pittsburgh's early-2000s defenses. He earned first-team All-Pro honors, made multiple Pro Bowls and became a premier edge rusher and emotional leader. The fifth-round choice at No. 163 was later moved by Pittsburgh in another draft transaction, adding a little more downstream value beyond the two players selected directly.
The trade therefore looks better for both teams than a simple winner-loser label suggests. Minnesota did not waste the premium it paid; Kleinsasser gave the franchise more than a decade of dependable service and fit an offense that repeatedly reached the postseason. But the Steelers converted the move down into a star defender at a more valuable position while also receiving extra capital. Porter's ceiling and impact separate the sides. Pittsburgh deserves the win and an elite grade, while Minnesota's long-term return makes a solid B more appropriate than a harsh mark.