Subterfuge and Tomfoolery Besets the Headlines as 2023 NFL Draft Nears
K. Joudry
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The NFL Draft is less than two weeks away. In fact, if we fast forwarded a full two weeks, we’ll be through the event.
Prior to the event, teams far and wide will often be guarding their true intentions and evaluations. After all, teams are looking for any edge they can get when it comes to landing their coveted players. If being secretive and (at times) deceptive aids with that goal, then so be it.
So much of the recent focus has been on whether Minnesota would select Hendon Hooker. There has also been interest in linking the Vikings with Will Levis, Clayton Tune, Tanner McKee, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The NFL Draft, though, boasts more than just these options at QB.
Sure, there hasn’t been too much said about Jaren Hall, but that doesn’t mean Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t interested. Ditto for Jake Haener, Max Duggan, and several others. The young GM keeps his cards pretty close to his chest.
A similar mysteriousness besets the franchise in other areas.
What’s the plan at corner? We know they need to add talent to the CB room. Heck, the head coach has even confirmed that the position needs reinforcements. Presumably, some of that help is going to come via the draft, but we don’t know when or the quantity. Will they be content with just drafting a single corner? Is that going to happen high in the draft or later on? Will they prioritize the slot over the outside?
Unfortunately, many of these questions won’t receive a firm answer until the future arrives. Sure, we can make educated guesses, parsing through the comments and examining the depth chart. We can look to recent history to discern trends and understand what’s going on with the finances. After tossing it all into a blender, we pour out a drink that’s perfectly appealing. Plausible and appealing.
Accurate? There’s a decent chance it isn’t, but we’ll need to make due with what we have prior to getting 100% certainty.
Forced to play a football game right now, the Vikings could get by. In fact, there’s a decent chance they’d emerge victorious given that they have top-tier talent at several important positions (WR, OT, EDGE). Surviving thriving in a 17-game season? Well, that’s a different story. Additions still need to be made.
Subterfuge and tomfoolery are going to enter the equation from now until the end of the event. Keep your wits about you. Understand that not every rumor can be true, no matter how tantalizing or appealing.
As the day inches closer, we’re going to keep hearing all kinds of reports that have a foot in fiction and the other in non-fiction. Enjoy the ride. Free agency and the NFL Draft are incredibly exciting. Bask in the hope – and wild theories – that only the offseason can bring.
The NFL Draft begins on April 27. Minnesota currently has 5 picks.
