Category: SKOL Search

Adam Schefter: Vikings and Giants ‘most interested’ in trading up

On the Pat McAfee show, Adam Schefter reported the Minnesota Vikings have competition from the New York Giants to move up in the NFL draft.

The NFL draft is tomorrow, and we could see a whole lot of drama at the top. It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback, and conventional wisdom says they’re looking to move up to get one. The problem? They’re far from the only team that needs a QB, and they may not be the only ones looking to move up, either.

According to Adam Schefter in an interview on the Pat McAfee Show, the Vikings could be competing with the New York Giants to trade up for their quarterback. McAfee asked Schefter about the New England Patriots’ position at three, and Schefter mentioned that the Vikings and Giants have been the two most active in trade talks with New England.

Unlike the Giants, the Vikings have not one, but two, first round picks they can package together in an effort to move up. On the other hand, the Giants currently have the number six overall pick in the draft, which could be appealing for the Patriots if they think they can move down a few spots and still get a quarterback — perhaps former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that New England certainly has a need at the position of their own. The Patriots traded former starting quarterback Mac Jones in the offseason and, though they are reportedly listening to offers, may not be able to be convinced to move off that spot.

If Minnesota is going to move up into the top 3 in an effort to land former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, they’re certainly fighting an uphill battle. One that may prove to be impossible to overcome. We’ll find out tomorrow night!

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones: Vikings hesitant to give up No. 23 to trade up

The Minnesota Vikings are likely looking to trade up in tomorrow’s NFL draft, but they are reportedly hesitant to give up their second pick.

With the NFL draft just a day away, the rumors are coming in fast and heavy. The latest from CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones paints an interesting picture for the Minnesota Vikings and what they may get out of Thursday’s first round.

While it’s long been assumed that the Vikings acquired the 23rd pick in the draft from the Houston Texans as more ammunition to move up from No. 11 to take a quarterback, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is hesitant to put that pick in a package, reports Jones.

Adofo-Mensah may have no choice about including that second first-round pick in a trade package. The cost to move up into the top five (or six) is already steep, and it’s even more steep when it’s a quarterback you’re attempting to move up for. Add in the fact that it’s a poorly kept secret that you’re on the market for a quarterback, and the price could be even higher.

One thing that may be working in the Vikings’ favor is that they have a couple of options when looking to move up. There are arguably three quarterbacks whom the Vikings could take — Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy — and there are two teams (the Cardinals and Chargers) picking in the top five that likely aren’t looking to take a quarterback.

The majority of rumors coming out recently have centered on the New England Patriots at No. 3 overall, but if the Vikings are content with the fourth quarterback off the board, they may be able to pull off a trade that doesn’t force them to sacrifice that second first-round pick.

Vikings land J.J. McCarthy and Jer’Zhan Newton in 33rd Team mock draft

The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov sends Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy and Illinois DT Johnny Newton to the Minnesota Vikings in his latest mock draft.

One of the biggest questions coming into this week’s NFL draft is if the Minnesota Vikings are going to be able to get their quarterback of the future, and just how much they’re going to have to give up to do so. But what if the Vikings don’t have to give up anything and can still land a potential franchise QB?

That’s the scenario that played out in the latest mock draft from The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. Meirov has the Vikings standing pat at the 11th spot and still landing former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Here’s Meirov’s analysis of the selection and McCarthy’s fit in Minnesota:

A trade-up could likely be required for the Minnesota Vikings to get a quarterback in this draft, but I don’t think they will have to go all the way to No. 4 with Arizona the way most people think, especially if it’s for J.J. McCarthy. Assuming it can’t get Maye, Minnesota could be more patient and let the draft come to them; trading up to No. 7 or 8 would make more sense.

McCarthy is the most polarizing quarterback of the top four. Still, he would walk into easily the best position of anyone: Minnesota has the play-caller in Kevin O’Connell, the playmakers with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, and the protection with bookend tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

With the Vikings not trading up for a quarterback, they’re able to keep their second first-round pick and can bolster the team even further. In this mock, they’re able to beef up their defensive line with the 23rd pick, taking former Illinois defensive tackle Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton.

The Minnesota Vikings could very well not even have this pick if they trade up, which many people think is likely. Jer’Zhan Newton had more than 100 pressures over the past two seasons, and some people rate him as the draft’s top interior defensive lineman.

The First-Team All-American had surgery in January to repair a fracture in his foot and did not do any workouts during the pre-draft process.

This draft would be just about a dream scenario for the Vikings. They’d be able to land a quarterback they’re heavily rumored to be in on, and would get to keep their draft assets to land a player who most draft analysts have as the top interior defensive lineman available.

Kevin O’Connell jokes about trading for third overall pick

While taking questions at his church, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sending flowers to Patriots’ Robert Kraft.

It’s no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are likely looking to draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. It’s also no secret that if they want to draft one of the top prospects, they’re going to have to trade up. One of the more likely options for a trade-up scenario is the New England Patriots, but they also need a quarterback and likely want a haul for the pick.

The Vikings are going to have to put together a pretty sweet deal if they’re going to convince the Patriots to move off the #3 pick. During an interview at his church, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell joked about sweetening the deal by “sending Robert Kraft a bouquet of flowers the other day”.

Jokes aside, O’Connell and the rest of the Vikings’ brass know they’re going to have to put together a great deal to convince the Patriots — who have a significant need at the position as well and are already in place to grab one of the top prospects — to move down. Doing whatever they can to butter up Kraft and the Patriots’ decision-makers isn’t a bad strategy to try and lessen that demand.

Will they be able to make something happen before Thursday’s first round kicks off? We’ll find out in a couple of days!

Mike Reiss: Patriots staying at No. 3 in draft barring unexpected blockbuster offer

ESPN insider Mike Reiss reports the New England Patriots will stay at No. 3 in Thursday’s 2024 NFL draft barring a blockbuster offer.

Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft is Thursday, and there’s a ton of suspense regarding how things are going to play out. Perhaps the most intriguing storyline is how the Minnesota Vikings will get their future quarterback.

According to ESPN NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss, it likely won’t come through a trade with the New England Patriots, who hold the third overall pick. Reiss writes that the Patriots are planning on moving forward with picking at their current slot “barring an unexpected blockbuster trade offer.”

The stance makes a ton of sense for the Patriots, who also need a quarterback. The consensus top four quarterbacks in the draft are Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy. Picking in the third slot ensures they get one of those players.

That said, the Vikings are one of the few teams that have the draft assets to be able to pull off a “blockbuster” trade — if they value getting their quarterback that early. Minnesota has the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round, along with seven selections in the rest of the draft.

However, outside of the two first-rounders, none of the remaining picks are before the fourth round, which means a trade with the Patriots would likely include early picks in 2025. Thankfully, the Vikings have a full complement of picks in 2025 (with an extra fifth-round pick in place of a sixth).

The question is, will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be willing to give up the assets needed to make such a deal? Would he and the Vikings’ decision makers be content to get whichever QB is left after New England picks and try to make a deal with the Arizona Cardinals — who don’t need a quarterback and might be willing to take less to move back?

We’ll find out in a couple of days.

Jeremy Fowler: Jayden Daniels ‘intrigued’ by Minnesota Vikings

According to ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, LSU QB Jayden Daniels is “unsure” of playing for the Commanders and “intrigued” by the Vikings.

With the NFL draft less than a week away, the rumor mill is starting to heat up. That includes the possibility of a top-flight draft prospect not playing for the team that drafts him.

In a recent segment on SportsCenter, ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler stated that there’s some real smoke behind the rumors that former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is unsure of the Washington Commanders. Currently, the Commanders sit with the second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and are in a prime position to draft the athletic quarterback.

Fowler went on to state that Daniels has an interest in playing for the Las Vegas Raiders and being reunited with one of his former coaches at Arizona State, Antonio Pierce. However, as Fowler mentions, the Raiders are unlikely to be able to trade up that far and get Daniels.

Then, Fowler mentioned that Daniels is “intrigued” by the possibility of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have a real need at the position, and unlike the Raiders, they have the assets to be able to move up for him. Currently, the Vikings have both the 11th and 23rd picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

It’s long been thought that the Vikings are a prime candidate to move up in the draft to grab a quarterback. Daniels would be an intriguing prospect for the team and an interesting fit in the offense that head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to run in Minnesota. Just how much fire is there to this smoke? We’ll find out on Thursday.

Vikings beat writer confident team will make NFL draft deal

Star Tribune Minnesota Vikings beat reporter Ben Goessling believes the team will “do what it takes” to trade up in the upcoming NFL draft.

The NFL draft is less than a week away, and the rumor mill just keeps on spinning! While it seems like a foregone conclusion that the Minnesota Vikings are intent on taking a quarterback in the first round, they’re likely going to need some help to do so. If they want one of the top options in the 2024 NFL draft class, they’re going to have to trade up to get them.

Star Tribune’s Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, Ben Goessling feels confident that the Vikings will “do what it takes to make the deal,” he said on a recent appearance on KFAN1003, a Minnesota sports station.

Minnesota is currently sitting with both the 11th and 23rd picks in the NFL draft, after trading with the Houston Texans to acquire a second pick in the first round. It’s long be thought that the trade was simply the Vikings gathering assets to make another move so they can get their quarterback.

The team has been heavily linked in mock drafts to a number of different quarterbacks, but the top two seem to be former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. If Minnesota is dead-set on landing Maye, they’re likely going to have to trade into the top 3, which means pulling off a trade with either the Washington Commanders or the New England Patriots — both of whom need quarterbacks of their own.

The fact that Washington and New England could be on the market for a QB certainly complicates the situation. Minnesota will likely have to overpay if they want to move up. Will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah be willing to part with enough assets to make the move? At least one beat writer thinks so.

NBC Sports’ Connor Rogers sends Vikings interesting QB in latest mock

The Minnesota Vikings take Michael Penix over Jayden Daniels and J.J. McCarthy in the latest mock draft from Connor Rogers at NBC Sports.

The 2024 NFL draft is just a week away. We’re coming down the final stretch, and soon the endless onslaught of mock drafts will cease. But that day is not today! Instead, we have another mock draft from Connor Rogers at NBC Sports, and he has the Minnesota Vikings making an interesting pick at 11.

In his “What I do if I were the GM” mock draft, Rogers has the Vikings taking former Washington QB Michael Penix with the 11th pick. Here is what Rogers had to say on the selection:

Penix sees the field extremely well pre- and post-snap, while showing off a howitzer of an arm. His pocket passing ability would transition nicely to Kevin O’Connell’s offense, challenging all areas of the field with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

What’s most interesting here isn’t the pick itself. There are some injury concerns with Penix, but overall he would be a good fit for head coach Kevin O’Connell and what he wants to do with the Vikings offense.

No, the interesting thing here is the Vikings taking Penix over the likes of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Rogers has Daniels sliding to the Denver Broncos, one pick after the Vikings. As for McCarthy, Rogers doesn’t have him as a first round selection at all, which flies in the face of most of the buzz that has been surrounding both him and the Vikings heading into the draft.

 

The Athletic: Fans want Vikings to trade up for a quarterback

According to a recent survey from The Athletic, Minnesota Vikings fans overwhelmingly prefer a trade up for a quarterback in the NFL draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft is just two weeks away, and the big question looming for Minnesota Vikings fans is: How is the team going to address the quarterback situation? The team signed former Jets, 49ers, and Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold in the offseason, but he’s not the long-term solution at the position. So, what is the best way for the team to find that solution?

According to a survey of Vikings fans from The Athletic, nearly 75 percent want to see the Vikings trade up in the draft to take their quarterback of the future. Whether it’s for Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, or J.J. McCarthy, the fanbase overwhelmingly approves of the team making a bold move to secure the most important position in football—if not all sports.

The article, written by Alec Lewis, further breaks down the quarterback choices, with nearly 40 percent of the over 3800 respondents preferring a trade-up (sending picks 11, 23, and 2025 first) for former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

The fanbase’s second choice is former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with just over 23% of respondents saying they would trade picks 11 and 23 and a later-round pick to land McCarthy. Interestingly, that option is less than 3% more than those who would prefer the team to keep their assets, stay at 11 (or later at pick 23), and take former Washington quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit from the survey is just how many—or how few, rather—of the respondents wish the team had paid to keep Kirk Cousins in Minnesota for at least one more season. Not even 2% of the respondents said that the team should have paid for Cousins.

Former NFL QB sends Vikings J.J. McCarthy, J.C. Latham in latest CBS Sports mock draft

Former Browns and Chiefs QB Brady Quinn has the Vikings taking former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy at 11 in the latest CBS Sports mock draft.

The 2024 NFL Draft is just over two weeks away, and it’s nearly a foregone conclusion at this point that the Minnesota Vikings will draft a quarterback. Likely in the first round. But which of the options will they choose? That is the big question. And one that former NFL QB Brady Quinn addresses in the latest CBS Sports mock draft.

In a mock draft alternating picks with Leger Douzable, Quinn was tasked with the odd-numbered picks, meaning he landed the chance to pick for the Vikings. The catch here was that no trades were allowed in this mock, so the Vikings remained at 11. As luck would have it, they were able to get their future QB anyway in the form of former Michigan star J.J. McCarthy. Here’s Quinn’s analysis of the pick:

In a mock without trades, this represents, arguably, the most reasonably best-case scenario for the Vikings. McCarthy’s game is tailor made for operating a Shanahan-style offense, which is precisely what he’d run with Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. The upside is deceptively high, particularly with Justin Jefferson and Co. with the Vikings. Grade: A

As this is a mock draft without trades, that means the Vikings get to make both of their picks in the first round, so Quinn also got to pick for the Vikings at 23, giving them Alabama offensive tackle J.C. Latham. Here’s what Quinn had to say about that choice:

The value is really good here, and Brian O’Neill is still recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in early January. Latham could be the starter at right tackle Week 1. But when he’s healthy, O’Neill will reassume that gig. Clear best-player-available pick here, and Latham does have the size — and some experience at guard. Grade: B+

Taking an offensive tackle with their second first-round selection may seem like a poor use of resources to some, but Quinn does bring up a good point with the O’Neill injury. Add in the fact that Dalton Risner is still on the free agent market to help along the interior, and the selection makes at least some sense.

It’s all about the quarterback. If the Vikings are able to get their guy without having to give up assets to get him, that is an absolute win for them, almost regardless of how the rest of the draft pans out.