Vikings’ Roster is Ready for Their Quarterback of the Future
Brett Peterson
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The Minnesota Vikings are in a little bit of a conundrum when it comes to the quarterback position. We know guys like Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens aren’t going to take the reigns for the long haul, and rookie quarterback Jaren Hall has shown promise but he was a fifth-round pick just eight short months ago.
The other question mark is, of course, the decision on quarterback Kirk Cousins. He is set to hit free agency in March and is coming off a torn Achilles. Do the Vikings bring him back on a team-friendly deal? Would Cousins even take a team-friendly contract? Is he 100% healthy going into 2024? The questions could go on and on.
2024 Draft Class is Full of Studs
The blueprint that could prove the most beneficial is taking advantage of one of the better quarterback draft classes in recent memory. Obviously the top signal callers will be out of reach for Minnesota, namely Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Heisman winner Jayden Daniels will more than likely be a long shot as well, unless he slips out of the top five and the Vikings want to trade up for him.
A couple names to really keep an eye on, are quarterbacks JJ McCarthy (Michigan), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), and Bo Nix (Oregon) to just name a few. All three of these field generals are poised and are known for their accuracy. They would be great fits in Kevin O’Connell’s system, which requires intelligence, timing, and like mentioned before, the ability to throw an accurate pass. All three of the aforementioned quarterbacks are top 25 in the nation in completion percentage, per NCAA.com.
Vikings’ Roster is Playoff Ready
The current Vikings roster is set to compete and a rookie franchise quarterback would be coming into a fantastic situation.
Minnesota has one of the best groups of pass catchers in the league. With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison snagging passes from the wide receiver position. Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL and would instantly become a favorite target of the new quarterback. Addison is just scratching the surface of his potential and has the ability to take tops off of opposing defenses. The Vikings also employ one of the best pass catching tight ends in the NFL in TJ Hockenson. He would be a tremendous security blanket in the offense.
To go along with with the weapons down the field, Minnesota also has an up and coming offensive line with bookend tackles on the right and left sides, and capable players on the interior of the line.
A young signal caller would be set to succeed from the get go in this offense. Kevin O’Connell has a quarterback friendly scheme and I’m sure he’s antsy to get his hands on one of these studs coming out of the collegiate level. After seeing the struggles of the offense with Nick Mullens and Josh Dobbs, the second year head coach may be ready to mold a quarterback of his own.
Although, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Vikings sign Kirk Cousins to a short term deal and still draft a prospect early in the 2024 draft. Even though many are speculating that Minnesota will move on from Cousins at the end of the season, it is really still too early to call.
We all know O’Connell’s love for the Viking’s quarterback, but looking at the situation at hand, the Vikings may be better off in the long run to nab a rookie quarterback in this coming draft in April. Whoever is behind center, let’s hope they are the one to bring Minnesota to the promise land.
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