Vikings' window to win may force GM Rick Spielman to change draft strategy

MINNEAPOLIS – He’s done it so often that it’s earned him a catchy nickname and reputation as one of the savviest at maneuvering a draft board.

“Trader Rick,” is also the modus operandi for Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, who has a penchant for knowing how to execute trades during the NFL draft (Thursday-Saturday on ESPN/ESPN app) to maximize value. It’s resulted in 35 draft-day trades since 2012, which is tied for the most in the NFL in that span.

Spielman relies on an abundance of picks to increase his odds of hitting on talent. Sometimes that means using the additional draft capital to trade up and land a player the Vikings don’t expect to be available later on, like they…