The Minnesota Vikings have amassed assets to trade up for a quarterback, which was all but certain to lead to chicanery on the part of the teams holding the top NFL draft cards.
Former Vikings linebacker and current analyst Ben Leber of KFAN accused the New England Patriots of exactly that on Tuesday, April 2.
“The recent public attraction the Patriots have to JJ McCarthy is nothing more than them driving up the price of the #3 spot,” Leber posted to X.
The Vikings own the No. 11 overall pick. They traded a couple of second-rounders, and then some, to acquire the No. 23 selection from the Houston Texans. And several analysts, including Field Yates of ESPN, believe Minnesota may need/be willing to add a 2025 first-round selection to mix so as to move into the top five and select their QB of choice.
In Yates’ most recent mock draft, he predicted the Vikings will get that deal done with the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 rather than the Patriots at No. 3.
“I have the Vikings sending Nos. 11 and 23 this year and an additional 2025 first-rounder to the Chargers to move up to No. 5 for the class’ QB4,” Yates wrote. “Minnesota would be betting on McCarthy’s combination of very good ball placement and mobility helping him become its long-term answer, with Sam Darnold in tow for 2024 if McCarthy needs time to get his feet wet.”
Of course, getting all the way to the third pick would be considerably more valuable to Minnesota for multiple reasons.
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