The Vikings’ Other-Other Trade Wouldn’t Be That Expensive

After the third pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, several teams that do not need a quarterback of the future step up to the podium consecutively.

The Vikings’ Other-Other Trade Wouldn’t Be That Expensive

Some believe the New York Giants will draft a quarterback, but that franchise paid Daniel Jones a year ago, and planning for the next QB1 might be premature. Anything claiming New York is willing to trade up for a passer may be a smokescreen. Stay tuned.

Here’s the draft pecking order before Minnesota picks at No. 11:

1. Chicago Bears (from CAR)
2. Washington Commanders
3. New England Patriots
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets

For the sake of argument, pretend some threesome involving Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and J.J. McCarthy flies off the board between the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots. That leaves one passer — probably McCarthy — available at No. 4. These teams won’t draft McCarthy (with a small caveat involving the Giants):

4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. New York Giants
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Chicago Bears
10. New York Jets

Therefore, if McCarthy (or the remaining fourth quarterback) slips past the Giants, the Vikings could reasonably trade with the Titans or Falcons — also known as the other-other trade.

For 6-7 weeks, Vikings fans have daydreamed about what it will take to get into the draft’s Top 3 or Top 5, but a McCarthy slide, for instance, would significantly reduce the trade price. Use the Falcons as an example. They own the eighth pick. Minnesota could realistically trade their 11th pick to Atlanta while adding deal sweetener such as a 4th-Round pick or one of next year’s 3rd-Rounders.

Obviously, the proposal would require a draft tumble by McCarthy (or Maye or Daniels) not foreseen by many, and Minnesota may not be willing to wait on draft night, thus making a trade into the Top 3 or Top 5 more urgent.

Yet, if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has patience — or an insurance plan that he loves like Michael Penix Jr. at pick No. 11 or 23 — he could “wait it out” and hope McCarthy falls to pick No. 7 or 8 and pounce with a trade considered discounted by the last month’s standards.

This basically boils down to another team trading up the board — so, the Denver Broncos or Las Vegas Raiders — and spoiling the Vikings’ utopian scenario. But if Adofo-Mensah learns neither team will make a move, he might be able to wait and strike around the seventh or eighth pick.

It may not be a trade with the Patriots, Cardinals, or Chargers or bust.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.