It seems to be all but a done deal that the two Draft selections in front of the Vikings will be used on quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, in that order.  That essentially leaves the Vikings with the options of selecting left tackle Matt Kalil, selecting cornerback Morris Claiborne, selecting wide receiver Justin Blackmon, or trading down for a healthy ransom.

Rumors are flying around right now that the Rams could trade that number two pick well before April’s Draft, however, which could put the Vikings next in line to entertain substantial offers for the third overall selection.

And those rumors of an early trade might just have some weight behind them.

Think about it.  The value of the number two overall selection, which gives a team the right to presumably draft Griffin, may never be higher than it is right now and the Rams reportedly have a large number of suitors.

If they wait, however, then some of those suitors will likely drop out of the running as they fill their quarterback needs elsewhere.  Fewer suitors means a smaller audience for the auction, which could mean a lesser deal.

Let’s say, for example, that Miami signs Peyton Manning.  They are now out of the auction.  What if the Browns or Redskins sign Matt Flynn?  The Niners could re-commit to Alex Smith.  What if the Seahawks decided they wanted to roll with Jason Campbell?  What if one or more of those teams decide they like Ryan Tannehill and choose to wait it out for Draft Day and see how things unfold?

The Rams may never again have as many bidders as they do right now, following an amusement park ride of hype at the NFL Combine, and they may opt to strike a deal while the iron is hot. 

I would… if I were them.

If, and it is admittedly a big if, things unfold early with the Rams trade options, it could put the Vikings in the driver’s seat for the remainder of the Draft.  In fact, they may be able to hold an auction of their own for Tannehill if enough teams feel like he can be a franchise quarterback (we’ve seen lesser quarterbacks rise faster than that).

Or it could simply be a matter of testing the waters and seeing what price team’s might be willing to pay for a chance to snag Kalil, Blackmon, or Claiborne.

Being in the driver’s seat is exactly where the Vikings would ideally be sitting, so pay close attention to the drama surrounding the number two pick, as it might just define this Vikings Draft.