Exclusive; Vikings Projected to Make ‘Massive’ Trade Up to No. 3 for Star QB Prospect
The way the Minnesota Vikings have handled Kirk Cousins’ contract situation has left the door open for speculation about what both teams will ultimately do this offseason. This includes exploring the possibility of trading up to acquire the third overall pick in the 2024 draft.
“Minnesota has been growing the market for rookie quarterbacks over the past few years, but has not been in a position to fight back,” Josh Edwards of CBS Sports wrote on Feb. 17.
“In this case, the Patriots are giving the Vikings an heir to Kirk Cousins.” ” The target is North Carolina’s Drake May. Edwards didn’t elaborate on the package that would move him from 11th to 3rd in this “massive” deal other than swapping those two options.
But this hypothetical package could be sufficient based on previous examples.
Vikings get:
– 2024 first-round pick (No. 3 overall)
Patriots get:
– 2024 first-round pick (No. 11 overall)
– 2025 first-round pick
– 2026 first-round pick
– 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 109)
This package mirrors the San Francisco 49ers’ 2021 deal with the Miami Dolphins, which moved the former from 12th overall to 3rd overall for Trey Lance. The Vikings are selecting one spot higher than the original 49ers in the first round this year.
Perhaps this will allow Minnesota to make a deal that includes a fourth-round pick (seven spots lower than San Francisco) in exchange for a second-round pick (42nd overall). The Vikings don’t have a third-round pick in this year’s draft, so this will be key. This is another variation of the popular concept. In particular, with the Cousins situation continuing, the Vikings have been named as a team to monitor draft trades for some time. But May is the new target. Rumors have linked him to LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Some in the organization are interested in pairing Daniels with former Tiger teammate Justin Jefferson. But Daniels’ stock is rising, as shown by Edwards, who says he ultimately believes the Patriots will draft the quarterback.
The Vikings could benefit from Drake Maye moving up the rankings by moving up to third overall in the 2024 draft.
In the previous hypothetical trade scenario, the Vikings would trade with the Patriots and select Daniels with the No. 3 pick. However, Edwards let the current Heisman winner go to the Washington Commanders with the No. 2 overall pick. Maye’s production last season took a step back from his redshirt freshman season.
But his production this season (4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns, 66.3% completion percentage, seven interceptions) is similar to Daniels’ Heisman win last season. Doubts about May, still the No. 2 quarterback at the time, began in September despite a strong performance and winning streak that carried into October.
The different layouts reflect this, despite there being no games currently being played. The NFL Scouting Combine will be held on February 26th. Tim Hasselbeck: Drake May is the ‘best QB’ in the 2024 draft. But not everyone is happy with May.
Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck is firmly in camp in May. But not as good as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2024 draft. Hasselbeck said on ‘NFL Live’ on February 15, “I think Drake May is the best quarterback in this class.” “I’ve been working at ESPN for 15 years evaluating quarterbacks. I think he’s as promising as any quarterback we’ve seen in this game.
“I truly believe that when you look at the checklist of qualities you look for in a quarterback – the intangibles in terms of size, athleticism, arm strength, competitiveness and leadership – there is so much out there. Falling in love with Drake May. “A lot of people will leave thinking he’ll be a much better professional player than he was in college.”
