Imagine How Bad It Could Have Been for the Vikings
Last season, the Minnesota Vikings drafted in the top half of the first round while needing a quarterback to succeed Kirk Cousins. They wound up grabbing decorated Michigan Wolverines signal caller J.J. McCarthy.
Imagine How Bad It Could Have Been for the Vikings
Sure, he ultimately wound up hurt and didn’t play a single snap during the regular season. That worked out ok as veteran Sam Darnold stepped up and led them to a 14-win season. Had that not happened, though, and Minnesota was in position to draft a quarterback this time, it could’ve been ugly.
A year ago, there were ample quarterback prospects worth getting excited about. Caleb Williams was the decorated superstar. He was joined by Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and McCarthy. Two-thirds of that trio flashed during their rookie seasons. It’s fair to think that McCarthy may have done so had he not also been hurt.
Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Jaxson Dart are there this time. At one point, Jalen Milroe was seen as the third quarterback of the group, but the shifting he and Dart have seen reflects the overall position. Sanders was once viewed as the lock to go first, and now there is talk he could fall to the second round.
If Minnesota were drafting a quarterback from this class, they could hope to land someone with the capabilities of Green Bay’s overpaid arm. Jordan Love might be the barometer when it comes to the ceiling of talent. Milroe and Dart could quickly fall into the Kenny Pickett land of first-round picks. In case you haven’t kept up, he’s now with his third organization, still on his rookie deal.
You can be skeptical as to how McCarthy will work out as the starter. He played in a run-dominant offense for the Wolverines. Maybe he winds up being more of a game manager than you’d hope for from the quarterback position. It’s also impossible to ignore that he’d be the top option in this draft.
Had the Vikings not addressed the quarterback position when they did, they could be in a situation that the Titans, Giants, or Browns find themselves now. They could be waiting on Aaron Rodgers like the Steelers are, or trying to pick the right prospect.
This collection of quarterbacks is laughable at best, and it’s a good thing none of them will be wearing purple.
A 3rd Vikings QB Is on the Way
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
You must be logged in to post a comment.