Breaking; Vikings Predicted to Land $230 Million Pro Bowl QB in Blockbuster Trade
Should the Minnesota Vikings miss out on a top-four draft pick, they may need to devise an alternative strategy for handling the quarterback quandary – with Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray potentially being considered as a viable trade option.
Mike Tannenbaum, in a mock draft on March 26, assumed the role of every general manager and made 32 selections. One notable decision was for the Cardinals to drop Murray and opt for J.J. McCarthy as their fourth consecutive quarterback drafted.
In the event that the Vikings are unable to recruit one of the top four quarterbacks in this year’s draft, Tannenbaum suggests offering their No. 11 pick and acquiring Murray plus a third-round selection from Arizona as a solution.
“From my perspective, simply offering the No. 11 pick for Murray appears too steep a price to pay, while relying solely on their second first-rounder at No. 23 falls short of meeting expectations in terms of compensation. To even out this transaction, I propose combining a third-round pick along with the No. 11 selection – emulating what the Cardinals did during last year’s draft when they traded their initial first-rounder (No.23) to Baltimore in exchange for Marquise Brown and an additional third rounder,” stated Tannenbaum wrote.”
Although the Vikings still consider Murray’s robustness as a crucial factor, opting to re-sign him instead of Kirk Cousins is more economically viable and presents an opportunity for the team to contend this season rather than undergo reconstruction. Furthermore, being younger grants Murray longer-term potential with his role on the team.
It is probable that the Vikings’ boat has already passed Kyler Murray, quarterback for the Cardinals.
Although Tannenbaum’s idea that the Vikings’ quarterback situation depends on whether or not they secure one of the first four draft picks carries some validity, obtaining Murray would be too expensive for Minnesota.
Murray’s cheap days came to an end in 2022 when he inked a lucrative five-year, $230.5 million contract extension – the fifth-most valuable quarterback deal in NFL history.
If the Cardinals were to make a trade prior to June 1, they would be burdened with $46.2 million in dead cap, setting a new record for any team that has parted ways with an experienced quarterback’s contract. Murray’s contract comes complete with $113 million guaranteed over three years – something the Vikings wanted desperately to avoid during their talks regarding Cousins’ negotiations.
The potential of a Murray trade was considered by The Athletic in November, however, the idea received disapproval from multiple league executives who deemed his contract as untradeable and “problematic.”
Murray, drafted first overall in 2018, is a previous Offensive Rookie of the Year awardee and has been recognized twice as a Pro Bowl talent. Should the Vikings perceive their current roster capable of winning immediately, they may adjust their budget to accommodate this strategy for at least two years.
It is unlikely and not in alignment with the intentions of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to operate the team as “full Rams.”
The Vikings are constructing a team that will contend for the long-term, rather than just being an unexpected underdog.
The Vikings have been considered as a team that could be a surprise threat in the playoffs, despite being an outside contender for years.
Kevin O’Connell’s first year as coach built a strong culture that led Minnesota to win all 11 one-score games in the regular season, ultimately resulting in an impressive record of 13-4 during the year 2022.
However, relying solely on the underdog mentality has its limits as demonstrated by the Vikings’ exit from the first round of NFC playoffs. They were defeated by a margin of seven points against New York Giants.
The Giants were subsequently trounced by the Philadelphia Eagles, who boasted a roster overflowing with elite players supporting Jalen Hurts – all while he was still on his rookie contract.
During the Cousins era, the Vikings faced difficulty in defeating teams early on due to their roster deteriorating subsequent to 2019 and a dearth of cap space needed for signing priority free agents.
The Vikings aspire to capitalize on the prospect of having a budget-friendly novice quarterback who has the potential to attain Pro Bowl status in upcoming years.
