Friday in football began with a spectacular trade. minnesota vikings He became the second first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. houston texans in exchange for future draft capital. The Vikings currently own the No. 11 and No. 23 first-round picks, and their cards are on the table for everyone to see as they move toward acquiring a quarterback.
The question now is how high can the Vikings go and who do they hope to sign? There are so many moving parts in a quarterback trade that will determine the first round, so let’s break it all down.
What is the trade between Minnesota and Houston and why?
In fact, the total trade price is a very fair value for an additional first-round pick. Minnesota sent a second-round pick (No. 42), a sixth-round pick (No. 188) and a 2025 second-round pick to Houston, and got back the No. 23 and No. 7 picks (No. 232). .
For the Vikings, the motivation is clear. Because that puts them in a position to actually get a quarterback. That’s their plan, so read no further.
Meanwhile, in Houston, this is a very smart move by a front office that also has a knack for smart decision-making. Signing Daniel Hunter in free agency eliminated the team’s biggest need for a second EDGE, leaving the Texans with more picks than they needed. Now they’re taking a calculated gamble that the rebuilding Vikings will struggle in 2024, believing that the second-rounder they get in 2025 could be a top-10 pick. This is quite a risk.
I’ve seen this type of transaction in the past.
We’ve seen it many times before: acquiring draft assets before the draft and using those funds to move up to quarterback. Some notable examples include:
Now, the Vikings are joining the club and trying to make some noise.
Who are the Vikings targeting and how far can they reach?
That’s the biggest question this time. There are two very obvious scenarios here. One of his is: deeply Good for the Vikings.
Scenario 1: JJ McCarthy
McCarthy has made incredible progress this offseason, going from being a 20-something, a teenager, and a player projected to be a top-10 pick to now being considered a top-five pick. Not much is known about him as a passer, as the University of Michigan has never asked him to win with his arm, but teams are enamored with his tools, precision, and leadership skills, and if called upon. I’m excited about the fact that he can become an elite passer.
If the plan is to target McCarthy, the obvious trade partners are Los Angeles Chargers The Chargers are undergoing a complete offensive overhaul under Jim Harbaugh, releasing Mike Williams, trading Keenan Allen, and letting Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett depart in free agency.
The Chargers need a pick. They need choices.They are did it They keep the No. 5 pick and take Malik Nabors from Roma Odunze at wide receiver, but they have more needs to fill.
The Vikings will send the 11th and 23rd picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, as well as a 2025 fourth-round pick, to the Los Angeles Chargers for the fifth pick.
Looking at the draft pick calculator, this is a fair trade., as long as the Chargers get more value back than they give up, but not to the extreme. In total, the Vikings will have him score 2,070 points and return 1,700 points.
Scenario 2: Drake May
I think this is a deal that Vikings fans should expect. Dake Maye’s stock has become one of the most confusing aspects of the 2024 NFL Draft. Here we have a true No. 1 overall skill player on par with Caleb Williams, but when it comes to predicting where he will land, it becomes extremely dangerous.
Maye doesn’t fit well with Kliff Kingsbury’s quarterback skillset, so he could be passed over for second.This paves the way for the Vikings to move up to the same level as the Patriots, but it will take time. a lot To get into that range. Essentially, we’re talking about an “offer you can’t refuse” for Vito Corleone, but it still might be much better than stepping up in McCarthy for an unknown amount of money.
The Patriots could make this deal if they simply aren’t really selling any of their top QBs and want to stick around a little longer. Alternatively, an alternative deal could be made, such as trading Justin Fields from the Bears and then acquiring two firsts to immediately fill other areas of need.
The Vikings sent No. 11 and No. 23 in the 2024 NFL Draft, as well as a 2025 first-round pick, to the NFL. new england patriots Nominated 3rd place.
Minnesota has no choice but to give up. a lot here. However, the connection is clear. Drake Maye fits perfectly into Kevin O’Connell’s offense and already has coaching savvy within the organization. Maye’s high school coach at Myers Park High School in Charlotte was none other than Josh McCown, who is now the Vikings’ QB coach.
Why are the Vikings, who signed Sam Darnold, so focused on finding a QB now?
Minnesota has already signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal and was able to get over the hump. This would be a good bridge while they assess their future at the position. The problem is, it’s not a move that would please Justin Jefferson.
Losing Kirk Cousins in free agency was an unexpected blow that needed immediate attention. With Jefferson’s future contract extension looming, the team can’t afford for the best receiver in football to be dissatisfied with the direction of the franchise or feel like he’s not committed to finding a passer at this point. .
If they move up in the draft to find a QB, a trade worth 10 times more would be needed to ensure that Jefferson stays with the team. That’s the biggest and only priority the Vikings have offensively right now.
Now we wait to see how this plays out. There are many ways for the Vikings to advance, and either McCarthy or Maye is not the only possibility, just the most likely. One thing we can say for sure is that you need to buckle up on draft night because things are going to be tough.
