Vikings May Trade Up for Elite QB Prospect in NFL Draft: Insider

The Minnesota Vikings are probably leaning toward bringing Kirk Cousins back for at least one more season, but that shouldn’t stop the team from aggressively pursuing a QB of the future in the upcoming NFL draft.

Jason Reid of ESPN made that exact argument on Sunday, January 7, when he wrote that Minnesota is likely to look for a quarterback in the first round regardless of how its contract negotiations with Cousins play out.

“Whether or not Cousins returns, I wouldn’t rule out the Vikings looking quarterback early, though especially so if Cousins signs elsewhere,” Reid wrote on Sunday, January 7. “LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. could all be Round-1 options for the Vikings.”

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Jayden Daniels Will Cost Vikings Draft Assets, While Other QB Options May Be Available with First Pick

Reid’s suggestion that the Vikings will pursue a quarterback doesn’t delve deeply into the likelihood that the team will need to trade up a significant number of spots to get their pick of the litter.

Daniels has rocketed up draft boards after winning the Heisman Trophy and may continue to do so once he starts wowing teams in person with his physical skill set. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the dual-threat star jumped all the way to No. 3, coming off the board behind only USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina signal-caller Drake Maye.

The Vikings will pick No. 11 this April, which means it will likely cost them at least a future first-round pick plus that 11th selection if they want to get into the Daniels sweepstakes. In all likelihood, it will cost even more.

Minnesota could go another way if Penix or McCarthy jump off the screen during the evaluation process. However, each man’s stock could also rise in the coming months.

Penix finished second in Heisman voting and lost in the National Championship Game on January 8, while McCarthy claimed that national title for Michigan and finished his career with just one loss as a collegiate starter. Bo Nix of Oregon, who finished third in Heisman voting, is also a potential option for the Vikings.

It is reasonable to expect, however, that despite the number potential first-round choices, as many as four or even five quarterbacks could be off the board by the time Minnesota goes on the clock.

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Kirk Cousins Indicates Willingness to Take Discount to Return to Vikings in 2024

Drafting one of the elite QB prospects in the 2024 class makes sense for a Minnesota franchise that had zero answers after Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 8. However, a rookie starter could complicate the team’s aspirations to win immediately, which argues for Cousins’ return — at least next year.

For Cousins’ part, he voiced Monday a willingness to play for the Vikings in 2024, potentially even on a discount. However, he had some other stipulations, the most important of which was the chance to win immediately.

“God has blessed me financially beyond my wildest dreams, so at this stage of my career the dollars are really not what it’s about,” Cousins said. “I think it ultimately is about winning football games — and so that will be the most important thing.”

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