The Minnesota Vikings have about six choices for a quarterback of the future this Thursday, needing to kickstart the afterlife following Kirk Cousins’ departure in March.
Vikings Urged to Avoid One Rookie QB
Minnesota will probably waltz out of the draft with a rookie passer, but if the decision were up to Bleacher Report, the Vikings should avoid LSU’s Jayden Daniels.
An odd recommendation, to be sure, the purple team may not even have to debate Daniels as the quarterback of the future, as sportsbooks believe he’ll fly off the board at pick No. 2 to the Washington Commanders. Yet, if he tumbles, BR claims that Daniels doesn’t really fit in the Vikings’ offense.
“If they make that kind of aggressive move, it’ll add more pressure to get the pick right. Rolling the dice on Jayden Daniels would not be a risk worth taking for Minnesota. Daniels is an undeniably exciting prospect. His athleticism and willingness to hang tough in the pocket when needed gives him a high ceiling. But he’s far from a sure thing,” BR’s Alex Ballentine explained.
Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy and electrified the masses with his dual-threat skillset, able to fling the rock like a pocket passer while showcasing Lamar Jackson-like feet. According to Ballentine, though, that just doesn’t really jibe with what Minnesota does on Sundays.
“The Vikings need a quarterback who can deliver the ball to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in the intermediate areas of the field. If they’re going to give up a bounty of picks to get into the top four, it should be for someone who’s capable of taking full advantage of their pass-catching corps,” Ballentine added.
The aforementioned Cousins left Minnesota on March 13th for the Atlanta Falcons, and two days later, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah concluded a pre-draft trade, sending two 2nd-Round picks to Houston for the Texans’ 2024 1st-Rounder (Pick No. 23) and a late-round pick swap. Minnesota now owns two 1st-Rounders on Thursday night, enough ammunition to make another trade up the board.
The team’s fans have decided the choice is an either-or arrangement between Drake Maye (North Carolina) or J.J. McCarthy (Michigan), all but conceding that Daniels won’t be available to Minnesota, on deck to be drafted by the Commanders at No. 2 or New England Patriots at No. 3.
However, if Daniels tumbles, most Vikings faithful will have no disappointment or hesitation about welcoming him to Minneapolis. It’s just that Bleacher Report claims he doesn’t fit — basically a first-of-its-kind proclamation this draft cycle.
According to oddsmakers, Daniels has around +1,200 odds of ending up in Minnesota. He met with Minnesota’s brass last week in Louisiana.
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.