Another Team Looks Poised to Try and Usurp the Vikings for a QB in the 2024 NFL Draft
Josh Frey
|
In all likelihood, the Minnesota Vikings are going to try and trade up the draft board to select a QB in the 2024 NFL Draft.
It officially looks like they might have some competition in that task as well. That competition comes from the team slated to select one spot below the Vikings at No. 12 overall: the Denver Broncos. This comes after the Broncos held a press conference on Thursday, featuring general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton.
Another Team Trying to Jump the Vikings in the Draft
The theme of the press conference was the idea of potentially drafting a quarterback.
“Do we have to draft a quarterback? You’d say it sure looks like we have to draft a quarterback,” Payton said. “And yet it has to be the right fit, the right one. If we had the tip sheets as to who everyone else is taking, it’d be easier to answer that question.”
Payton actually name-dropped the Vikings during the press conference as another team that they are looking at as a potential landing spot for a QB. “Part of the puzzle if we were looking at our draft board and at the screen and looking at team needs, there’s a handful of teams ahead of us where you’d say quarterback,” Payton acknowledged. “And then there’s a team or two, Minnesota, ourselves and the Raiders where you could argue quarterback.”
Of course, Denver’s need for a quarterback comes after the conclusion of a disastrous experiment with Russell Wilson. Prior to the 2022 season, the Broncos sent a pair of first-round picks as well as QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, and DE Shelby Harris to the Seattle Seahawks in order to acquire the veteran.
At the time, it appeared to be the move that would vault Denver back into the Super Bowl conversation. Instead, it resulted in a combined record of 13-21 over the past two seasons and continued the Broncos’ streak of seasons missing the playoffs since their Super Bowl victory in 2015. It resulted in Wilson being cut and ultimately signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this spring.
If the Broncos don’t select a quarterback this spring, they will roll into the 2024 season with Jarrett Stidham, who finished the 2023 season for Denver after they decided to bench Wilson. Because of this, Denver seems like a team that needs to find an answer at QB in a division that includes Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes.
“If it’s a player you think can change the landscape of your organization moving forward, like a quarterback, then you do whatever it takes to get him,” Paton said.
Ultimately, Denver likely will need to go deep into their future draft capital again in order to offer a more appealing trade package than the Vikings (who hold both the 11th and 23rd overall picks). After what happened with Wilson, we’ll see if the Broncos put their money where their mouth is.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Yet Another LSU Prospect Meets with the Vikings before the 2024 NFL Draft
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.