Could the Vikings Be a Deep Sleeper to Trade Up to the Cardinals' Pick at No. 3?
The most intriguing pick in this year's NFL draft is the third one.
It's no secret that the Panthers and Texans are going to take quarterbacks with the first and second picks. That brings up the Cardinals, who hold the third overall pick but already have their quarterback in Kyler Murray. They could stay put and take their top non-QB, with Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. being the most likely choice. Or they could capitalize on their position and trade back with a QB-needy team, picking up extra draft capital in the process.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday, "at least six teams" have reached out to Arizona about trading for the third pick. "Cardinals still are mulling whether to move pick or make it," Schefter tweeted.
Who might those six teams be? The other QB-needy franchises in the top portion of the draft are presumably on the list. That includes the Colts at 4, the Lions at 6, the Raiders at 7, the Falcons at 8, and the Titans at 11. After that, it's anyone's guess. The Patriots at 14? The Commanders at 16? The Buccaneers at 19?
All the way down at 23, the Vikings might be a deep, deep sleeper here. They're reportedly doing plenty of work on the quarterbacks in this year's draft, which makes sense considering Kirk Cousins turns 35 this summer and is headed into the final year of his contract. Thus far, the thought has been that if the Vikings want to add a rookie quarterback, their options are somewhat limited. They could trade up for Will Levis if he falls a bit, select Hendon Hooker at 23, or take a swing on someone like Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the middle rounds.
What if Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell decide to go all-out on finding their quarterback of the future this month? It would cost a lot to move up 20 spots to No. 3, but if it results in the Vikings landing a future star QB, it would be worth it. Making that move would guarantee Minnesota lands one of the top three quarterbacks on its board.
To be clear, this is highly unlikely. In order to top other offers and move up from 23 to 3, the Vikings would likely have to trade their first-rounders in both 2024 and 2025, plus perhaps another pick or player or two on top of that. They would be making a major gamble, and it's possible Adofo-Mensah simply doesn't think that's a risk worth taking.
Still, because of the importance of the quarterback position, I don't think it can be completely, 100 percent ruled out. If C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young are the top two picks, the Vikings moving up to 3 would allow them to choose between Anthony Richardson and Levis. What might be even more interesting is if the Texans take Richardson and one of Stroud or Young is suddenly, unexpectedly available at 3. If the Vikings have that player as the top quarterback on their board, making an extremely bold move to go get them is something they may at least have to consider in the moment.
This hypothetical idea depends on quite a few things: What happens with the first two selections, whether or not the Cardinals decide to trade the third pick, what the market looks like for that pick, and how the Vikings view the top quarterbacks in this draft class. Highly, highly unlikely? Yes. Impossible? When it comes to the NFL draft, almost nothing's impossible.
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