While the anticipation of the NFL Draft continues to soar numerous prospects’ stocks, the Minnesota Vikings are ready to make a change and stick with veteran quarterback Sam Darnold in 2024.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert said on April 2 that, while the Vikings have “deep preparations to examine the top prospects” in this year’s quarterback class, they are prepared to remain with Darnold and choose a quarterback later in the draft, or perhaps wait until 2025.
“On the one hand, they’ve made detailed plans to examine the best prospects through private workouts and/or visits, and they’ve established the framework for developing a rookie quarterback,” Seifert wrote. “On the other hand, they are prepared for the possibility. of riding with offseason free agent addition Sam Darnold in 2024 and then regrouping with either a quarterback drafted with a lower pick or perhaps a look ahead to the 2025 class.”
The Vikings’ acquisition of the No. 23 pick in the first round in a trade with the Houston Texans appeared to be a sure hint that the franchise wants to combine that pick with the No. 11 pick to move up and draft a quarterback.
However, the Vikings have issued confusing signals that the trade with the Texans was about “flexibility” and that they require a team to be “complicit” in a trade, implying that the Vikings are unwilling to bend beyond their will in order to secure a top prospect.
“The quest for a complicit team ready to assist a trade up in the draft, and the necessity for flexibility to adjust if they can’t find one, is the middle ground that the Vikings are
The Vikings will undoubtedly be proactive in pursuing a trade into the top five of this year’s draft, but whether they will do so at the expense of their future depends on who falls after the first two picks.
According to Star Tribune beat reporter Ben Goessling, the Vikings considered moving up in the 2023 draft but did not have the necessary draft money after trading T.J. Hockenson. They also passed on Will Levis, instead going with wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Levis is a cautionary tale for organizations to avoid buying into pre-draft hype that inflates player worth.
ources praised him, and he was the odds-on favorite to go second overall in the days leading up to the 2023 selection. However, on draft day, his name was not called. He was not selected until the second round.
This year is no exception to the pre-draft hype. J.J. McCarthy was ranked as high as No. 2 overall as a preferred target by the Washington Commanders, while Michael Penix Jr. appeared to push his way into the top 20 with his pro-day performance after months of being a marginal first-round prospect.
Where prospects rank on the 32 clubs’ draft boards will never be known, but if public opinion is any indication, the price for the Vikings to obtain a quarterback this summer appears to be increasing.
And O’Connell seems sure that he can work with Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the organization in March.
“I believe his greatest football is ahead of him because of how he has handled the last several years,” O’Connell stated on NFL Network, according to Pro Football Talk. “Whether it’s going 4-2 down the stretch in Carolina in ’22, or when you watch footage of his work in San Francisco, you can tell Kyle and Brian Griese did an excellent job in the next stage of his career. Fundamentals, strategies, and other factors to consider when looking for growth. “I’m excited to get started with Sam.”
