Minnesota acquired interior lineman Mason Cole from Arizona…
Minnesota acquired interior lineman Mason Cole from Arizona for the 223rd pick in the 2021 draft. Cole appeared in 14 games and started seven for the Vikings, providing useful center and guard depth. Arizona selected Tay Gowan at No. 223 and later included him in the Zach Ertz trade, giving both clubs some value.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- pick 2021 6th round pick (223rd overall, Tay Gowan )
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Mason Cole
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Minnesota acquired offensive lineman Mason Cole from Arizona on March 25, 2021, sending the Cardinals a sixth-round selection that became pick No. 223. Arizona used that choice on cornerback Tay Gowan. The Vikings were buying experienced interior-line flexibility, while the Cardinals moved a former third-round center before the final year of his rookie contract and added a late draft asset.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Cole gave Minnesota useful short-term depth. He appeared in 14 games during the 2021 season, started seven, and logged substantial offensive snaps while working at center and guard. He was not a long-term solution for the Vikings and left after one season, but the trade helped cover injuries and instability on the interior line. Seven starts from a sixth-round-cost veteran is a practical return, especially for a team that needed competent reserve options.
Arizona Cardinals Return
Arizona selected Gowan at No. 223. He did not establish himself as a Cardinals contributor, but his value did not disappear entirely: Arizona later included Gowan with a 2022 fifth-round pick in the trade for tight end Zach Ertz. That downstream use gives the Cardinals more credit than a simple zero-game draft result would suggest, although Gowan himself was not the central asset that made the Ertz deal valuable.
Value in Hindsight
Both teams received something useful. Minnesota got immediate lineup insurance and seven starts, while Arizona created a late-round asset that later helped complete another trade. The Vikings' value was more direct and easier to isolate from other considerations. Arizona's benefit was partly downstream and bundled with another pick. That makes Minnesota's one-season contribution the stronger return without turning the deal into a lopsided result.
Final Verdict
Minnesota wins, B- to C+. Cole provided meaningful short-term depth and seven starts at a position of need. Arizona deserves credit for later using Gowan in the Ertz package, but the Vikings received the more substantial direct football value from this specific exchange.