INSider Speculates Vikings Used NFL League Meetings to Convey Message to Patriots at No. 3…
The Minnesota Vikings have been transparent about their keen interest in securing one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. With ongoing rumors linking them to prospects like J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye, there’s widespread speculation that a trade-up might be on the cards for the Vikings. Interestingly, it appears that Minnesota might also be employing a strategic maneuver to enhance their position.
Previously holding the 11th overall pick, the Vikings found themselves in a challenging situation. They weren’t in prime position to land one of the top four quarterback prospects, and maneuvering up would have required significant draft capital spread across multiple years.
However, the Vikings swiftly engineered a trade with the Houston Texans, obtaining the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This move instantly provided general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah with the assets necessary to potentially secure a top-five pick, thereby furnishing head coach Kevin O’Connell with a coveted quarterback prospect.
Addressing the NFL league meetings in Orlando, O’Connell underscored the significance of possessing two first-round picks. He specifically highlighted the perception that other teams would regard Minnesota’s two first-round selections as holding “greater value” than a single first-rounder in any other year. One NFL insider posits that there might be more to O’Connell’s remarks than meets the eye.
Ben Volin of The Boston Globe suggests that while O’Connell’s points are valid, the Vikings’ public statements could be a calculated move to convey a message to the New England Patriots (holding the third overall pick) and the Arizona Cardinals (holding the fourth overall pick) ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“O’Connell’s point is valid, but it also sounds like he is sending a message to the Patriots and Cardinals that two first-rounders in this year’s draft should be enough for the No. 3 or 4 pick. In 2021, the 49ers traded three first-round picks to the Dolphins to move up from No. 12 to 3, but two of those first-rounders came in future drafts, which makes them less valuable (in the NFL, a first-rounder next year is generally worth a second-rounder this year, and so on)”
Ben Volin on the Minnesota Vikings’ public comments about holding two first-round picks
Volin’s observation holds weight. It’s a widely held belief in NFL circles that to acquire an early second-round pick in the current year, a team often has to offer a future first-round pick. Typically, a future pick is valued at one round lower than a pick in the current draft.
With ample draft capital at their disposal, the Vikings seem poised to make a significant move. O’Connell is evidently mindful that his comments will circulate from the media to decision-makers across the league. If the Patriots or Cardinals perceive the 11th and 23rd overall picks as more desirable than a package featuring first-round picks in 2024 and 2025, Minnesota stands as a strong contender to orchestrate a trade-up for a quarterback.
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