It would take quite a miracle for Anthony Richardson to land with the Minnesota Vikings on April 27th, but that doesn’t totally faze sportsbooks.
The Florida Gators quarterback fired up an outstanding and memorable NFL Combine last week, perhaps careering his draft stock in the Top 5 rather than the Top 12, where he’d lived for a few months.
Vikings Have Official Anthony Richardson Odds
Most consider Richardson the type of NFL quarterback who will need mentorship and time to grow behind a veteran quarterback for one or more seasons, but his Combine theatrics were so sensational that folks kind of said, “never mind.”
And because the Vikings employ a soon-to-be 35-year-old quarterback whose contract [for now] runs out at the end of 2023, taking a swing at Richardson in the draft seems somewhat doable. Accordingly, Jamie Eisner from The Draft Network, by way of FanDuel Sportsbook, posted odds for Richardson’s NFL home this week, and the Vikings were the 14th-likeliest franchise to draft the man:
- Panthers (+340)
- Seahawks (+430)
- Colts (+470)
- Raiders (+650)
- Texans (+750)
- Lions (10/1)
- Falcons (11/1)
- Bears (15/1)
- Commanders (16/1)
- Buccaneers (23/1)
- Ravens (23/1)
- Jets (24/1)
- Titans (24/1)
- Vikings (34/1)
Richardson won’t be available for the Vikings with their organic No. 23 pick unless something truly goofy occurs, so general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would have to be pretty bold in the trade market. Trading into the Top 10 for Richardson — or anyone — will cost Minnesota at least two 1st-Rounders and probably a 3rd-Round pick for sweetener.
Vikings fans have little appetite for such a transaction, but Adofo-Mensah, not fans, will make the decision.
Last week, NFL.com identified Minnesota as a possible Richardson destination. Lance Zierlein wrote, “I think this would be a sneaky-interesting landing spot for Richardson — if he were to make it all the way to No. 23, which seems like a long shot in itself.”
“Kirk Cousins would clearly be the starter in 2023, which would allow Richardson a chance to take mental reps for an entire season before potentially taking the reins in 2024 with some talented pieces around him,” Zierlein concluded.
Richardson could follow through on his otherworldly Combine performance for an NFL team as early as next year, take a few seasons to develop like Josh Allen five years ago, or totally flop like Malik Willis. At this time last year, Willis received oodles of draft hype, but general managers held off on him until Round 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Then, he played ineptly for the Tennessee Titans and wasn’t trusted to quarterback a pointless Week 17 game.
The last five quarterbacks drafted from the University of Florida were Kyle Trask, Tim Tebow, Rex Grossman, Jesse Palmer, and Danny Wuerffel But pencil the Vikings in with 34/1 odds to join the Gator fun.
Richarson completed 53.8% of his passes last year.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.