The Minnesota Vikings can approach finding a quarterback of the future in the 2023 NFL Draft in two ways.
They can take one in the first round (either after a trade-up or at their No. 23 pick). A trade would likely include multiple first-round picks, including this year’s selection, and could mean mortgaging their future for an unproven commodity with a high ceiling.
The Vikings could also pass on a quarterback on Thursday and take one later in the draft. This option offers no production guarantees, but it would also mean fewer assets (and an opportunity to address the other needs).
While opportunities to select the next Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy, or Tom Brady exists, there are no guarantees that the next starting quarterback will be on the board late in the draft. Instead, it’s more likely that the Vikings would get an affordable backup signal-caller with team control.
Which is fine, by the way. Finding a reliable backup quarterback is a challenging task. Teams hardly hit on non-first-round signal-callers, and there’s a hefty premium for backup quarterbacks that an offense can trust.
The Vikings can maximize their late-round quarterback value in a few ways.