Vikings “Logical Draft Trade” Idea Is Dumb
Janik Eckardt
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The 2024 NFL draft is approaching for the Minnesota Vikings, and it might be a franchise-changing event as the purple team is in the market for a quarterback. Finding the right one can transform an organization into an annual contender while picking the wrong one can create a lot of chaos in the upcoming seasons and set the Vikes back.
Vikings “Logical Draft Trade” Idea Is Dumb
Everyone agrees that the Vikings are trying to move up on April 25, especially since acquiring another first-round draft selection. While it might not ultimately happen if the team can’t find any trade partners, packaging picks 23 and 11 in exchange for a top-five choice is the logical move.
But one man disagrees with that theory. Draft analyst Chad Reuter from NFL.com assembled a list of six logical trades that should happen in the top round of the draft. And for some reason, Reuter ships the 11th overall pick to Philadelphia for their 22nd and 50th picks.
That move would prevent Minnesota from selecting one of the top QB prospects (Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy) and take them out of the race for an elite defensive prospect. Drafting the best CB or DT (Byron Murphy II has been linked to the Vikings) would certainly be the alternative plan if the franchise couldn’t land a passer.
Correspondingly, part of his trade ideas is that Denver will acquire the fourth overall pick. The Vikings possess a more desirable trade package, as two 2024 first-rounders trump one this year and one next. Regardless, if this scenario occurs, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should and likely would pick the top defender on his board.
Meanwhile, Reuter wants the Eagles to draft cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell, Terrion Arnold, or wideout Xavier Worthy.
Minnesota or Denver, whichever team does not work out a deal with the Cardinals, must decide whether it views the fifth quarterback in the class as worthy of a top-12 pick. If not, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can follow through with this deal, using either the Eagles’ No. 22 pick or the Vikings’ own selection at No. 23 on a QB (Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr.) and the other first on an edge rusher (Laiatu Latu), cornerback (Nate Wiggins), offensive lineman (Graham Barton) or defensive lineman (Braden Fiske, Byron Murphy II or Jer’Zahn Newton). It can then fill another need with the acquired second-round selection.
Chad Reuter
This idea makes nobody (outside of Philadelphia) happy. Head coach Kevin O’Connell doesn’t get a new prodigy in the building, while defensive coordinator Brian Flores misses out on his top target. In addition, the Vikings fail to acquire future draft capital, which would allow the team to make a move in next year’s draft.
While it is realistic that the Vikings would pick a quarterback, perhaps Michael Penix Jr., at 23, the defensive reinforcement would be the 11th overall pick unless another team sent a colossal trade offer. One extra second-rounder is not that kind of proposal.
Trade rumors and scenarios going the other way, into the top five of the board, are much more sensible. Minnesota’s plan A should be acquiring a rookie quarterback who can take over from bridge QB Sam Darnold as soon as he’s ready to prevent the franchise from falling into a hole following Kirk Cousins’ departure.
If there were ever a draft to find a quarterback, it would be this one with four fantastic prospects available.
The draft kicks off on April 25.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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