Minnesota acquired Nick Mullens from Las Vegas for a…
Minnesota acquired Nick Mullens from Las Vegas for a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick. Mullens became a multi-year Vikings backup and, when injuries struck in 2023, started three games while throwing for 1,306 yards and seven touchdowns across five appearances. Las Vegas eventually used pick No. 229 on M.J. Devonshire. For a seventh-round cost, Minnesota received meaningful quarterback insurance and emergency starting production, making the trade a clear Vikings win.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 2024 7th round pick (229th overall, M.J. Devonshire)
Minnesota Vikings Received
- player Nick Mullens
Trade Analysis
Minnesota traded a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick to Las Vegas for Nick Mullens in August 2022. The Vikings wanted an experienced backup behind Kirk Cousins and preferred Mullens to the options already on the roster. Las Vegas, which had acquired Mullens earlier that offseason, accepted a future late-round selection rather than keeping him behind Derek Carr.
Mullens provided exactly the kind of value teams seek from a backup quarterback. He spent 2022 behind Cousins, completing 21 of 25 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown in limited action. His importance increased dramatically in 2023 after Cousins tore his Achilles and Minnesota cycled through multiple quarterbacks. Mullens appeared in five games and completed 100 of 148 passes for 1,306 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. He started three games, including two performances with more than 300 passing yards.
The turnovers prevented Mullens from becoming a long-term starting answer, but that was never the standard for the trade. Minnesota paid one of the least valuable draft assets possible and received multiple seasons of quarterback depth plus emergency starts during a playoff race. The Vikings later retained Mullens, extending the usefulness of the acquisition beyond a one-year rental.
The conditional pick conveyed as No. 229 in 2024. Las Vegas used it on cornerback M.J. Devonshire. A seventh-round selection is a reasonable return for a reserve quarterback the Raiders did not need, and Las Vegas deserves credit for turning roster competition into draft capital. The player value from that choice, however, has not approached what Minnesota received from Mullens' actual quarterback snaps.
The existing B+ for Minnesota and C- for Las Vegas remain close to correct. Minnesota keeps B+; Las Vegas rises slightly to C because receiving any selection for a temporary reserve was sensible. The Vikings win because inexpensive quarterback insurance became genuinely useful when injuries hit.