Vikings' Draft Picks Trade With Texans Shows Their Intentions For Bigger Move Up To Get QB
The Minnesota Vikings and Houston Texans on Friday morning took a break from the free agency frenzy to handle draft business. And for the Vikings, that means quarterback business.
The Vikings just traded their second round pick (No. 42 overall), one of their sixth-round picks (No. 188 overall), plus a 2025 second-round pick to the Texans.
And the Texans are sending the Vikings their first-round selection in next month's draft (No. 23 overall) plus a seventh-rounder (No. 232 overall) in exchange.
Vikings Playing Chess, Not Checkers
So the Vikings now have two first-round picks in this draft.
And, if you're thinking like a checkers player, that means the Vikes might add a cornerback and perhaps a wide receiver because of Justin Jefferson.
But if you're into chess, it can only mean the Vikings intend to parlay their two first-round picks to move up in the draft to select a quarterback.
The Vikings days ago signed Sam Darnold to be their backup quarterback. Well, he wants to compete to start and might if he's in a quarterback room with a rookie that needs development. But, you get it, Darnold is not destined to be Minnesota's long term answer at the position.
Vikings In Position To Move Up
So the Vikings can plausibly use their two first-rounders (No. 11 and No. 23) to trade up in the first round.
And the obvious and logical target spot is the No. 4 overall selection currently owned by the Arizona Cardinals.
Understand that the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots own the top three spots. All need starting quarterbacks and are likely to make those selections, barring a surprise.
Well, the Cardinals have the No. 4 pick. And they are not going to draft a quarterback. Maybe a receiver, but not a quarterback.
The Vikings now have the resources to offer the Cardinals a trade in which they send their two first-round picks in exchange for No. 4 overall.
Make sense? Well, it absolutely does according to the draft trade value chart.
Draft Trade Chart Speaks For Vikings
The Vikings have 2,010 draft trade points combined in the first round. The Cardinals' No. 4 overall selection is worth approximately 1,800 points. The Vikings can get there with room to spare, and perhaps the extra points provide more incentive to do the deal.
The Vikings also have enough trade ammunition to perhaps get to the No. 5 (Chargers) or No. 6 (Giants) slot if the Cardinals are intent on keeping their pick to perhaps select receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
That's not the point.
The point is the Vikings want to, at worst, be in position to select the fourth-best quarterback prospect on the board. They're seemingly in that position now because they were slated to pick ahead of Denver (No. 12) and Las Vegas (No. 13). But this trade for the moment insulates the Vikings against getting passed by those same Broncos or Raiders.
Those teams do not have two first-round picks to offer in this year's draft. And one of their picks, should they wish to move up, is already behind the Vikings' selection.
Broncos, Raiders Caught Snoozing?
So the Broncos or Raiders would have to offer major, major resources – their first-rounder, plus perhaps multiple second and even future first-rounders – to be more appealing.
The Vikings have truly done great work, making it hard for the Broncos and Raiders to land the fourth-best QB prospect this draft. The question reporters should be asking general managers George Paton in Denver and Tom Telesco in Vegas is why didn't you make a trade like this?
Because, thinking chess again here, the Vikings seem to have checkmated those two teams in positioning themselves for a quarterback selected in the top five spots of the draft.