The Minnesota Vikings are in a bind with their QB situation after opening the doors to Atlanta for Kirk Cousins. Head man Kevin O’Connell and the front office have made it very clear that they are open to trading up and filling that void left by their former QB. Thus, the Patriots, with their third overall pick, have come up quite a few times as potential trade partners. They are also the only club with a decent pick rumored to consider trading down, and now, O’Connell’s recent remarks suggest a strong likelihood of a deal going down on D-Day next week.
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Kevin O’Connell recently made a surprising appearance in the Faith and Life Lecture Series, where several Vikings fans got to interact with the head coach and talk about the team’s plans for 2024. One enthusiast took his time to ask O’Connell about the team’s strategy regarding the potential selection of Drake Maye or JJ McCarthy.
In response, O’Connell emphasized the extensive evaluation process involved in making a choice, which could turn the tide for the franchise. But at the same time, he talked about the necessity of agreement from other teams to facilitate any trade and showed optimism about finding a willing trading partner. It could be the Patriots, and it could also be the Chargers.
O’Connell, however, seemed to nudge toward the Patriots and jokingly suggested he may have recently sent a bouquet of flowers to Robert Kraft. This could only mean one thing: the Vikings are going for Drake Maye, who is very much expected to be picked at three.
“You’re looking for a lot of different things (in a QB) and check a lot of boxes (before picking him). And ultimately when you find that guy, then you got to hope that 31 other teams are complicit… But we need only one team to be complicit,” O’Connell expressed. And when asked about the connection with the Patriots, he added, “I don’t know. I may or may not have sent a nice bouquet of flowers to Robert Kraft.”
While this certainly hints at an ongoing discussion about the deal, it can be said with certainty that it won’t come easily for the Vikings. If the Patriots do agree to a trade, the Vikes would have to give up both their first round picks (11th and 23rd overall). They would also have to throw Justin Jefferson into the deal since they’re nowhere near agreeing to an extension.
Minnesota Vikings’ Draft Predictions
As per NBC Sports, the Vikes currently hold nine total picks for the upcoming draft. Their two first round picks, with the recent one being from the Texans, would come in handy to move up the board, as they desperately need a quarterback. Whether it’s Drake Maye at three or JJ McCarthy at five, the franchise must give these two picks up. Moreover, if they decide to keep Justin Jefferson around, Kevin O’Connell and his Vikings would have to give up several future picks.
However, if a deal doesn’t come to fruition, the Vikings could definitely go for Bo Nix at 11. The former Oregon Ducks star has swayed several fans and pundits alike, and he could very well nudge the club in the right direction. Just like CJ Stroud did for the Texans. And for their 23rd pick, the Vikings would flourish with UCLA defensive lineman, Laiatu Latu.
For their two fourth round picks (No. 128 and No. 129), the Vikings could go for placekicker Cam Little and offensive guard Christian Mahogany, as per Chad Reuter’s mock draft. In the fifth round, the Vikings could bolster their secondary by bringing in star DE Jalyx Hunt, and add weapons to the offensive front by picking running back MarShawn Lloyd out of USC. For the three remaining picks, they could definitely look for a receiver and a few more players for the defensive side.
