Anonymous NFL Executive Has Harsh Words for Vikings’ Draft
Josh Frey
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The 2024 NFL Draft was a historic one for the Minnesota Vikings on a number of different accounts.
They not only selected their first top 10 quarterback, but they also made a pair of top 20 selections for the first time since 2005. Those selections landed them J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, and the team is hoping that the duo can develop into franchise cornerstones moving forward.
However, not everybody was as impressed with the Vikings draft process. Last week, The Athletic‘s Mike Sando quoted an anonymous NFL executive about Minnesota’s trading: “I can buy trading some future picks if you are going to be contending and you are going to get a potential starter. But the Vikings are not even close to contending. What they did, or even what the Bears did in giving up a (2025) fourth (for a fifth this year), I would not be doing that if I were those teams.”
NFL Executive Has Harsh Words for Vikings’ Draft
Indeed, the Vikings did move a ton of 2024 picks as well as future draft capital in order to make these selections. In total, this is what Minnesota traded away in terms of draft capital this spring:
- First-round pick (2024)
- Second-round pick (2024)
- Second-round pick (2025)
- Third-round pick (2025)
- Fourth-round pick (2024)
- Fourth-round pick (2025)
- Fifth-round pick (2024)
- Fifth-round pick (2024)
- Sixth-round pick (2024)
In return, the Vikings selected four players with the picks they got back: McCarthy, Turner, kicker Will Reichard, and interior offensive lineman Michael Jurgens.
The Vikings hold only three selections in the 2025 NFL Draft (their first-round pick and a pair of fifth-round picks). Minnesota is also projected to gain a third-round compensatory pick because Kirk Cousins departed in free agency, so that should equate to a fourth pick and potentially one that lies at the very end of the top 100 in the draft.
Of course, if McCarthy and Turner both hit as stars in the NFL, these concerns for Minnesota and their future draft capital will go away very quickly. The two players arguably represent the two most important positions in football.
Assuming the Vikings get Justin Jefferson to agree to a new contract extension at some point this offseason, Minnesota doesn’t have a ton of needs at premium positions. They have their quarterback of the future, a star tandem at wide receiver, a strong offensive tackle duo, and a full litany of edge rushers.
The biggest need for Minnesota seems to be the defensive tackle position, and the Vikings very well could either select one with their first-round pick or even trade down in order to get more capital and select a quality one either towards the backend of the first round or early in the second round in 2025.
Minnesota could decide to move on from some veteran players via trade between now and the 2025 NFL Draft in order to recoup some more draft capital.
Overall, these trades could go down as a massive overpay for the Vikings if McCarthy and Turner don’t prove to be long-term solutions. If the duo does pan out, though, there will be zero qualms from anybody with what Minnesota did this spring.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.