NFL Draft: Vikings Reportedly Want to Hold Onto 23rd Pick

Could the Vikings manage to trade up without giving up the 23rd pick?

Author:
Will Ragatz
Apr 15, 2024

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Minnesota Vikings

2024 NFL Draft

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

It's hard to know what's real and what's a smokescreen during this time of year, but this report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is an interesting one. The well-respected NFL insider went on SportsCenter this weekend and said he's heard that the Vikings are trying to keep the No. 23 overall pick in trade talks with other teams.

"And you’ve got Minnesota, armed with two first-round picks," Fowler said. "This is a team that could be active. I’ve talked to several teams who believe that Minnesota, at least right now, doesn’t want to part with that second first-rounder, which is in the 20s. They want to try to preserve that, which could be tough to move up into the top five for a quarterback. So, the feeling is they’re looking around at potentially (J.J.) McCarthy there, one of the quarterbacks, but they might not want to give up enough to get there."

Last month, the Vikings acquired the 23rd pick from the Texans for their 2024 and 2025 second-round picks. It was a move that seemed to indicate that Minnesota plans to package picks 11 and 23 in a move up for a quarterback. But ever since then, the Vikings have spoken publicly about how that move gave them flexibility and insurance as they look to add a QB.

If the Vikings are going to move up, it's hard to see them holding onto that 23rd pick. They could offer No. 11 and future picks, but the extra current first-rounder will be viewed by other teams as a more valuable asset than, say, a 2026 first. With that said, you can understand why the ideal scenario for the Vikings would involve keeping that pick. If they're able to get a QB like J.J. McCarthy at 11 or after a smaller trade up that doesn't include the 23rd pick, they could then use it to add a premium defensive player. They could also go defense at 11 and then try to take Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. at 23.

The possibilities are endless. Thankfully, there are only ten days until the draft gets here and all of this speculation can end.

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