Vikings Trade Pitch Acquires Top-4 QB, Flips Two Firsts to Unlikely Partner…
The Minnesota Vikings may try to make several trades in order to land a quarterback in the top five in this year’s NFL Draft; but, a trade with the Arizona Cardinals might be their best chance.
On Thursday, March 21, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport wrote a trade proposal that would exchange the Vikings’ two first-round picks in 2024 (picks Nos. 11 and 23) for the fourth overall pick and an Arizona sixth-round pick.
Since the Vikings received Houston’s 23rd overall pick, “there has been a ton of speculation that it was ammunition to trade up for a quarterback,” Davenport wrote. “However, if Minnesota is that desperate and the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots are unwilling to forfeit their opportunity to select a quarterback, the Vikings may have to settle for what they have and (probably) select [J.J.] McCarthy at No. 4.”
Important: In 2024, the Vikings must choose the third or fourth quarterback off the draft board.
To trade up with the Patriots at No. 3 would likely be the best scenario for the Vikings. It’s practically a given that the Chicago Bears will select Caleb Williams first in the draft, but the Commanders will pick Jayden Daniels second, according to most prominent analysts, including ESPN’s Field Yates and Mel Kiper Jr.
If Minnesota were to trade up to No. 3, it would ensure that it would have the chance to select a quarterback other than Williams or Daniels. That player is most likely UNC’s Drake Maye, who attended Charlotte High School and played under Josh McCown, the new quarterbacks coach of the Vikings.
The issue with a deal with the Patriots is that, in virtually all cases, Minnesota will forfeit three first-round picks instead of the two Davenport suggested in his contract with the Cardinals, who are now ranked just one spot behind.
In any case, Yates predicted that the Minnesota Vikings will forfeit a total of three first picks in order to trade up with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5. The Vikings should want to trade up as high as they can if they are prepared to part with three first-round picks over the course of the next two years.
Targeting a trade with the Cardinals at pick No. 4 at least ensures that no other team, like the New York Giants (No. 6) or Denver Broncos (No. 12), sneaks ahead of the Vikings and drafts a fourth quarterback before they get on the clock, even if Minnesota is unable to persuade the Patriots to deal the third for three firsts.
If that happens, McCarthy might score the fourth run and Maye the third, leaving Minnesota in a dangerous situation.
Kirk Cousins’ long-term replacement must be found by the Vikings in this draft.
In the event that the organization is unable to acquire Maye or McCarthy as a quarterback in a trade with the Patriots, Minnesota will have to forfeit the opportunity to select the remaining quarterback. The way Kirk Cousins’ last few years with the Vikings transpired is the main cause.
Instead of giving Cousins a multi-year extension before the 2022 season, the organization decided to grant him merely a one-year extension, keeping the quarterback under contract through the previous season. Then, in March, Minnesota decided against going over budget, which let the Atlanta Falcons entice Cousins to the NFC South with a larger offer.
The Vikings failed to pursue any of the other top quarterbacks available or attempt to acquire a guy similar to Justin Fields, a starter for the Chicago Bears in the past. Rather, they agreed to a one-year contract with Sam Darnold.
Minnesota must consider the future of All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson moving forward, and selling him on a new deal in Minneapolis will be contingent on the plan the franchise puts together under center. Darnold isn’t a sustainable fix. However, Maye or McCarthy can be, which means the Vikings must do whatever necessary to secure one of those two players.
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