The Minnesota Vikings presently possess the 11th overall pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Yet, there are speculations suggesting that the team might explore the possibility of making a trade to ascend in the draft order in April, specifically with the intention of selecting a quarterback. This consideration arises due to Kirk Cousins approaching free agency and approaching 36 years old in August, having experienced a torn Achilles in Week 8 of the previous season.
The inquiry arises regarding which team the would engage in a trade with and whether the desired quarterback prospect would be accessible. The initial three picks in the draft are currently under the ownership of the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New England Patriots, all of which might be seeking a quarterback during the upcoming spring draft.
The Door Could Be Opening for the Vikings to Make a Big Trade
Should the Vikings contemplate a maneuver up the draft board, it seems plausible that the New England Patriots could be the potential trade partner. Dan Graziano of ESPN has shared insights from Super Bowl week, indicating the likelihood of such a trade scenario.
Sure, there has been a lot of talk about what will happen with the first and second picks of the 2024 draft, what the Bears and Commanders will do and where all the quarterbacks will end up. But I’m hearing a bit of buzz about the third pick, which belongs to the New England Patriots. The Patriots also need a quarterback, but there are people around the league who believe they are open to trading the No. 3 selection, moving back in the draft and addressing the quarterback position in free agency.
And on the short list of teams that could be that trade partner for New England is, of course, the Minnesota Vikings.
If the Pats do trade that pick — which could be Daniels or Maye — the two teams I’d keep an eye on are the Falcons (moving from the No. 8 spot) and the Vikings (moving from the No. 11 spot, assuming they don’t bring back Cousins). Minnesota knows it eventually has to address the quarterback position long term, and the notion of bringing in Daniels to pair with their star LSU alum wideout Justin Jefferson has appeal to some in the organization.
A trade of this sort could make sense for New England. Of course, they likely want to have a quarterback that isn’t named Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe leading the way next season, but they also have a multitude of other needs on offense if they have any hopes of contending in the AFC East.
In fact, they could be in the running to sign Cousins if the Vikings were to move on from him and trade up for a QB. New England currently has the third-most cap space in the league, per Over the Cap, sitting at just over $66 million. They could even free up an addition $14.375 million by moving on from CB J.C. Jackson, who has played just 15 games over the past two seasons.
Minnesota would certainly have to give up a lot in order to acquire this third overall pick, though. Back in 2021, the San Francisco 49ers traded from No. 12 overall to No. 3, and it cost them three first-round picks in order to do so. That trade landed them Trey Lance, which didn’t work out. It’s always a risk to trade large amounts of capital for a prospect.
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