Insider Suggests Kevin O’Connell Is “Sending a Message”
This spring, the Minnesota Vikings are widely expected to take a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
With the departure of Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons, it would be a very sensible move. However, the Vikings’ brass are doing their best to keep their cards close to the vest and not give away too many of their plans.
For instance, during last week’s NFL owners meeting, Kevin O’Connell joined The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN to discuss the draft. Considering the talent at the quarterback position in this class, he was asked a very prominent question regarding the danger of “falling in love” with too many of the QBs rather than pinpointing a specific player.
O’Connell answered, “If you end up falling in love with multiple quarterbacks in a draft, that’s an even better thing. Especially when you did something like we did to acquire pick 23 really for the flexibility of what we think is a really good draft. Everybody is making a really big point about the quarterback position, and I think that’s real. […] There could be a scenario where the first defensive player […] might happen 8, 9, 10, maybe 11.”
Kevin O’Connell May Be Sending a Message to Other Teams
These types of comments from Minnesota’s head coach caught the attention of Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. The insider got a chance to interview O’Connell as well, and they discussed the importance of Minnesota’s two first-round picks.
“I do think there is value in two first-round picks not only in the same draft, but in this draft — at least the way I’m evaluating the draft,” O’Connell said. “We feel like the people are going to be looking at two first-round picks in this draft as something that may be of greater value than maybe your standard one first-rounder in a year and however many that takes to go ahead and trade like what needs to happen to get up there.”
Volin then inserted his own thoughts on O’Connell’s comments, writing, “O’Connell’s point is valid, but it also sounds like he is sending a message to the Patriots and Cardinals that two first-rounders in this year’s draft should be enough for the No. 3 or 4 pick. In 2021, the 49ers traded three first-round picks to the Dolphins to move up from No. 12 to 3, but two of those first-rounders came in future drafts, which makes them less valuable (in the NFL, a first-rounder next year is generally worth a second-rounder this year, and so on).”
Indeed, it would appear that O’Connell and the Vikings are trying to make a case that their two first-round selections this year would be more valuable than a package that, say, the Denver Broncos (who just parted ways with Russell Wilson) could put together in order to trade up for a QB.
Denver only holds the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, and the best they could do is offer multiple future firsts along with that No. 12 selection to move up. Meanwhile, Minnesota offers the enticing opportunity to snatch a pair of playmakers immediately rather than waiting for future drafts.
The Vikings do need to find their franchise QB eventually, and it may be best to do that sooner rather than later. However, as has been the mantra of the era under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell, the Vikings are preaching flexibility.
Minnesota certainly has a need at the QB spot, but there are plenty of other positions that could use some extra talent. Defensive tackle comes to mind, particularly of the pass rushing variety. The cornerback position, as well, could use another high-end talent to solidify Minnesota’s pass coverage group.
If the price tag is too steep to move up to the third or fourth pick for a QB, then they won’t pay up (or, at least, they want teams to believe that they won’t pay up). At the end of the day, this could end up being a staring contest across the table between Minnesota and a trade partner.
Which side will blink first and succumb to the other’s wishes? Or will the Vikings indeed stand their ground and simply make selections at Nos. 11 and 23? We have just about three weeks until these answers are revealed.
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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.