Top Storylines Surrounding Vikings as NFL Combine Week Begins

What will the Vikings be discussing and looking for in Indianapolis this week?

Author:
Will Ragatz
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2024 6:05 AM EST

In this story:

NFL teams descended on Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine this week, and for the Vikings, there's quite a bit at stake. They'll be interviewing dozens of prospects, which is more important than the on-field drills and athletic tests (though those matter too). They'll also be meeting with executives from other teams and some notable player agents to have conversations that could help shape a critical offseason.

Here are some of the top storylines surrounding the Vikings this week.

The Cousins decision

There are other major decisions to be made, of course, but this whole Vikings offseason revolves around what they do at the quarterback position. Even if the free agent legal tampering period doesn't begin until March 11th, they'll undoubtedly be meeting quietly this week with Mike McCartney, Kirk Cousins' agent, to continue conversations that have already been taking place for a while.

If the Vikings want to, they have the salary cap space to give Cousins a market-value deal to keep him in Minnesota. It just doesn't seem like that's the most likely outcome, particularly if Cousins is going to command something like $50 million and/or full guarantees over two or three years. Nonetheless, a reunion can't be ruled out until the day Cousins signs elsewhere. His contract is set to void on March 13th.

Jefferson extension talks

The calendar flips to March this week, and the Vikings still haven't worked out an extension with their superstar face of the franchise. You can be sure that they'll also be conversing with Justin Jefferson's representation in Indy this week to see if any progress can be made on that front. With the salary cap going up, Jefferson's price isn't getting any cheaper, and guaranteed money may also be a sticking point in these negotiations.

So far, there's no real reason to believe the Vikings are considering trading the best wide receiver in the league, although SI's Conor Orr recently made the case that they should do just that. Still, the outside possibility of Jefferson ending up elsewhere is an understandable and legitimate concern for a jaded fan base.

Evaluating the QB draft class

If the Vikings don't re-sign Cousins, they're going to need a quarterback. That's where the draft might come in handy; this could be the year the Vikings select a first-round QB for the first time since 2014. A big focus of this week for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O'Connell, and the team's other scouts, coaches, and executives will be spending significant time with the notable members of this year's quarterback class. That includes Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., and Bo Nix. They're almost certainly not getting consensus No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, but they'll probably meet with him, too.

Williams and Daniels won't throw for scouts this week, instead electing to wait for their Pro Days. Maye's plans are uncertain. But what's more important than what these quarterbacks can show in passing drills or athletic tests — after all, their physical abilities are already apparent on their game tape — is what they're able to communicate during interviews. How they do in that setting could contribute to the Vikings' preferences among this QB class.

Will they look to trade up?

On a related note, the Vikings have the 11th pick, which isn't exactly the prime spot to land one of the top quarterbacks. Maybe McCarthy falls to that spot, but maybe not — and that might be far too early for either Penix or Nix. If the Vikings are enamored with Maye and/or Daniels, they'll have to make a move into the top three to land them. If McCarthy's their guy, they may want to move up into the top eight to make sure they get him. Combine week offers a great opportunity for Adofo-Mensah and company to meet with other teams and gauge their potential interest in a trade down to No. 11, opening lines of dialogue that can be revisited as April 25th approaches.

Other items on the Vikings' agenda

Meet with the representation for Danielle Hunter, whose free agency has been overshadowed a bit by Cousins and Jefferson talk. Can the two sides make something work that keeps him in Minnesota?
Talk (discretely) with various other agents about their clients — both former Vikings and otherwise — who are set to hit free agency in a couple weeks.
Meet with all kinds of draft prospects, including the top cornerbacks, edge rushers, and defensive tackles in this year's class. If the Vikings don't take a QB with their first pick, they're probably adding to the defensive side of the ball with that selection.
Monitor the on-field drills and athletic tests to see if they contradict anything about a player's tape evaluation.