Three Moves That Could Ensure the Vikings Land a Top QB in the 2024 NFL Draft
The Minnesota Vikings have a big decision to make at the QB position this offseason.
They could bring back Kirk Cousins, or they could decide to move on and try to land a top QB in the 2024 NFL Draft (or do both). Regardless, the Vikings certainly should keep their options open in terms of trying to land one of the QBs in this class whether it be via trading up or by staying put at No. 11 overall.
However, the Vikings have a couple teams in their way that could also be eyeing the QB spot. That certainly doesn’t mean Minnesota is entirely out of the running, though. Here is a look at three moves made by other teams that could help the Vikings in their pursuit of another quarterback.
Chicago Bears: Draft Marvin Harrison Jr.
This may not be an entirely likely scenario, but let’s lay out the case. Of course, the Chicago Bears would have to stick with Justin Fields at QB in order for this to happen, and that would entail the Bears simply not being able to receive a large enough package in order to move off of the mobile QB.
It’s entirely possible that Chicago is comfortable moving forward with Fields as well. They finished 7-10 this past season and went 5-4 over the final nine games of the season after they swung a trade to acquire Montez Sweat. The Bears need to find another consistent receiver to help the passing game, and Harrison is about as strong a WR prospect as we’ve seen in the past couple years.
New England Patriots: Trade No. 3 Overall
Despite New England’s need for a new starting quarterback, they have other glaring holes in their roster, which could limit the effectiveness of a rookie QB. Most notably, they need help at the offensive tackle spots as well as receiver.
As a result, the Patriots could opt to trade the No. 3 overall pick in order to gain more draft capital and fill these other needs before they attack the quarterback position. New England being open to trading the third overall pick also gives the Vikings a seamless opportunity to trade up in order to snatch their QB of the future.
Atlanta Falcons: Sign Cousins, Draft Pass Rusher
Even if one of the above scenarios plays out, the Vikings still have the Atlanta Falcons standing in their way for a QB. It is entirely plausible, though, that if Cousins were to leave the Vikings, his next destination could be Atlanta.
As a result, the QB position wouldn’t be much of a need for the Falcons, so they could turn to another area: pass rusher. Atlanta ranked 10th in QB pressure rate last season, but they finished tied for the 11th-fewest sacks in the league with 42. Another pass rushing presence like a Dallas Turner could be what puts that group over the top to finally begin finishing some of these plays.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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