Vikings GM Under Fire for Playing Coy on Trade Ahead of the Draft

Last month at the NFL owners’ meetings, the Minnesota Vikings were looked at as the belle of the ball with their newly acquired first-round pick fueling whispers of a blockbuster trade-up in the upcoming draft.

It’s no secret finding the next franchise quarterback after Kirk Cousins is vital for the Vikings organization — and the expectation is the Vikings will deal the No. 11 and No. 23 picks as the core of a trade package to land a top-four quarterback prospect.

However, less than two weeks before the draft, general manager Adofo-Mensah attempted to keep the league off his scent. He likened the No. 23 pick acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans as an insurance policy to entertain multiple paths in the draft — including waiting for a quarterback to fall outside the top 10.

Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr took issue with Adofo-Mensah’s posturing in an April 17 column, urging Adofo-Mensah to trade up for the quarterback of Kevin O’Connell‘s choosing instead of settling on whoever falls to them.

“If the Vikings stand pat at Nos. 11 and 23, respectively, they will be squandering the best chance they have had in the Adofo-Mensah–O’Connell timeline to move up for a capable, franchise-altering passer,” Orr wrote. “While Patrick Mahomes once had to wait until pick No. 10, that caliber of player isn’t in wave two of this year’s quarterback class. And trying to sell Vikings fans on as much would feel like a faux concession, admitting to a lack of risk-taking ability.”

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Vikings Moved on From Kirk Cousins to Exit Playoff Purgatory

The Vikings made a regime change two years ago in hopes of getting over the hump of vying for the playoffs and instead become a perennial championship contender.

Figuring out the future at quarterback is tantamount to sustainable success, and it always seemed like Cousins was never the long-term answer for the new regime.

They made it work for two seasons, but the pivot off Cousins was inevitable considering his age and costly contract on a roster that atrophied from its former glory as an NFC Championship game-caliber cast.

Cousins was always the comfortable middle. The Vikings were competitive into the winter months. They made the playoffs twice in Cousins’ six years under center but were never among the final four teams standing in the conference championship round — the exact terrain the team had climbed to before signing Cousins.

According to the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the Vikings attempted to trade up for a quarterback in the 2023 draft but lacked the draft capital to move up from No. 23, ultimately choosing to sit pat and select Jordan Addison after C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson came off the board.

This year, they have the draft capital, and they’re in striking distance at No. 11. Taking any quarterback in the first round may lead to a competitive run based on the cap benefits of a rookie-scale quarterback contract. But eventually, the Vikings must make a move for a quarterback who elevates the roster to be a perennial contender.

The quarterback tax is real, but declining to trade up at this stage of their plan would be like punting the ball on the 1-yard line.

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Vikings Must Maximize Their Situation for a Young QB

The argument can be made that whichever quarterback lands with the Vikings will have the best career outlook given the offensive pieces and O’Connell as their coach.

However, the Vikings should maximize their environment and draft a quarterback who can reach a higher ceiling than a plug-and-play game manager.

Ideally, the Vikings will never be in reach of trading up into the top five picks of the draft again — and any of the quarterbacks who are likely to go in that range give them the best shot at longevity as a contender.

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