Vikings fans' 'happy place' turns sour with first-round trade

On the field at U.S. Bank Stadium on Thursday night, mascot Viktor the Viking zoomed around on hoverboard. The Skolorians, two purple space soldiers modeled after Star Wars' Boba Fett, milled around taking photos with young fans. One had a Baby Yoda strapped to its belt with a knit Viking beanie. A man in a purple luchador mask flexed in front of a camera.

For the first time in three years, 4,000 Vikings fans assembled for the NFL draft, this time with brand-new front office leadership.

Season-ticket holder Brian Foss, 44, arrived clad in a Viking helmet, fur cape and battle-ready shoulder pads. He carried a plastic axe in his right hand and a purple shield in his left. The piece de resistance? A prosthetic eye with the Vikings logo.

"This is my home," Foss said. "This is my happy place. I'm happy every time I'm here."

Foss has attended every Vikings draft party held since U.S. Bank Stadium opened in 2016.

"I was so disappointed to miss the last two years because of COVID," Foss said. "But the new regime, the new energy is so exciting."

As the picks started flying, some groans escaped the rows of fans seated in front of the stage in the north end zone, particularly as cornerbacks Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner went at picks No. 3 and 4. But the excited buzz picked up steam again as the draft crawled toward pick 12. A near standing ovation erupted as the Vikings were announced on the clock.

That ovation quickly turned to boos as the jumbotron flashed news that the Lions, not the Vikings, had submitted a selection at 12. The Vikings had traded down. As Detroit selected Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams, a cry rang out above the crowd: "That was our pick!"

While some fans streamed for the exits, optimism over the new front office kept others in their seats.

"It's risky trading in the division," said Vikings fan Griffin Streed of Eden Prairie. "I'm willing to give [general manager] Kwesi Adofo-Mensah the benefit of the doubt and wait to see how it pans out, even though I don't like the trade. If it was [former general manager] Rick [Spielman], no way."

The Vikings eventually took Georgia safety Lewis Cine with the 32nd pick.

Irv Smith Jr. unleashed

Joining KFAN commentators Paul Allen, Ben Leber, Pete Bercich and Paul Charchian on stage, Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. said he's ready to break out under new head coach Kevin O'Connell.

"O'Connell sat me down and told me, 'This offense will create mismatches,'" Smith said. "'We're gonna get you open and let you make plays.'"

Smith pointed to tight ends Jordan Reed and Tyler Higbee that thrived under O'Connell with the Commanders and Rams. Higbee helped Los Angeles reach last year's Super Bowl with 61 catches for 560 yards and five touchdowns.

As far as who Smith wanted the Vikings to draft, his shirt choice might've been telling. The Alabama alum lifted a Vikings basketball jersey to reveal a Crimson Tide T-shirt.

"Nothing wrong with a Roll Tide guy," Smith said.

A Roll Tide guy — Jameson Williams — was taken with the Vikings' pick — by the Lions.

Spring cleaning

What happens to customized team gear after a Viking leaves the team? The solution at Thursday's draft party: a garage sale.

Old locker room nameplates left over from players like Dede Westbrook and Stephen Weatherly and embroidered bathrobes for players like Laquon Treadwell and Latavius Murray garnered the most attention.

"We've got some cool memorabilia," gameday assistant Sam Steinwand said. "It's some iconic stuff."