Draft Picks Galore for the Vikings in 2024
Not too long ago, the upcoming draft was one of the leading storylines within Vikings fandom.
After all, Minnesota had sunk to an unsightly 1-4 record and Justin Jefferson was heading toward the IR. The end result was a season that had slipped away just as it was beginning, shifting the collective focus from the present moment — where success seemed to have gone the way of the dodo bird — to the future.
The NFL Draft fascinates because it’s all about instilling hope in the future of 32 franchises. Accordingly, Vikings fans were finding refuge in the hope that emanates from finally possessing elite-level picks.
Of course, the conversation has changed dramatically in recent weeks.
Pulling off five-consecutive victories can do that, especially since the coaching staff is operating at an elite level while Josh Dobbs is reminding plenty of people of 2017 Case Keenum. Oh, and the defense is playing some legitimately good football, something we haven’t been able to say for several years.
Sensibly enough, Vikings fans are now more interested in the “competitive” portion of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s “competitive rebuild” ethos. Even still, the upcoming draft pick windfall is noteworthy news. The GM has been stockpiling picks, so we should be paying attention to what’s in store.
There’s Going to be Plenty of Selections for the Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft
As of right now, the Vikings have nine selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. Put differently, the Vikings are operating with a couple more selections than the normal team (the event features seven rounds, so every team begins with a single pick per round).
Take a peak at how things look. These are the selections Minnesota owns:
- 1st (MIN)
- 2nd (MIN)
- 4th (MIN)
- 4th (DET)
- 5th (KC)
- 5th (CLE)
- 6th (CAR)
- 6th (NE)
- 7th (ARI)
Digging into the nitty-gritty of how Minnesota arrived at all of these picks isn’t the purpose of this piece. Those who are interested in understanding the precise details can do so by reading articles on PurplePTSD: The Complete Kwesi Trade Tracker and The Vikings’ Draft Pick War Chest.
The purpose of this piece is significantly more humble: the simple proclamation of the franchise being the proud owner of such a gaudy draft pick total.
Without question, there’s still much that needs to be determined when it comes to how valuable these picks will be. Minnesota’s record alongside the record of the various teams that have their picks sitting in Kwesi’s coffers will be vitally important information.
There’s still close to half of a football season, the playoffs, and free agency to tackle before the draft arrives. Don’t forget, though, that all of these events will factor into the value of the picks and how they could be used.
One thinks of free agency, a method of player acquisition that should be alive and well for Minnesota. The team has less than 40 players under contract for next season and a bit below $52 million in cap room available. The need for more talent alongside the pile of cap room point toward a busy March for the GM.
Something that will help Kwesi is the knowledge that he’s sitting on plenty of selections. A drafted rookie ensures a team has four years of cost-controlled play, meaning there’s added room in the budget to go big-game hunting in free agency. A surefire way to offset major contracts for someone like Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter, and/or Justin Jefferson is to stockpile players who are functioning on their rookie deals.
Possibilities galore. No doubt, that’s part of the point.
Having nine draft picks gives the young executive options. Adofo-Mensah has pulled off a total of nine trades across his pair of NFL drafts, so the safest guess is that we’ll see him shuffle the deck before it’s all said and done.
He could pursue a QB or maybe target high-end pass rushers. He could keep bolstering the offense’s skill positions, maybe by onboarding a dynamic runner to complement the O’Connell offense. Adding another corner couldn’t hurt, either.
The overarching point is simply that the Vikings have clearly made it a priority to stockpile picks for 2024. Doing so opens up plenty of avenues for improvement that should have fans excited about what’s to come.
In the meantime, buckle up for what’s sure to be an exciting Sunday Night Football game. The Vikings ride into the contest as the winners of five-straight games whereas the Broncos are cruising along with a three-game winning streak. Something has to give, folks (as Josh Frey discusses).
Kickoff takes place at 7:20 p.m. CST.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap helped with this piece.
The “Other” Theory about Josh Dobbs and the Vikings
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
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