If a Quarterback Falls to the Vikings at No. 18 in the 2026 NFL Draft
If a quarterback falls to the Vikings in the 2026 NFL Draft, then Rob Brzezinski will have an easy choice: don’t pick the passer. Pretty boring. What would be far more fascinating would be if a team lower on the board is offering a trade package to jump into the No. 18 spot.
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to choose Fernando Mendoza at No. 1. Something completely unexpected could happen, but that’s the implication of jettisoning Geno Smith and then owning the most valuable draft choice. Las Vegas has made its decision. Afterwards, it’s anyone’s guess when the next passer goes off the board, but there’s an outside chance that Ty Simpson (someone else?) gets taken in the 1st Round. Minnesota may be hoping that’s the case.
The Vikings, The 2026 NFL Draft, & The Chance to Trade
Smart teams know when to say no to trading.
Sometimes, the best move a team can make is no move at all. Being able to understand that the compensation being offered isn’t good enough is a skill. So, too, is it a skill to patiently see how the board falls before choosing a great player who falls into a team’s lap. Go ahead to see how the Vikings did in 2023 (WR Jordan Addison) and 2025 (LG Donovan Jackson) when the precise approach was taken.
Essentially, don’t overthink things. Instead, just see how reality unfolds before bringing a great talent to the Twin Cities.
As it relates to trading, the Vikings would need to bring in a nice haul to move off their spot. Of course, there’s a major difference in dropping to No. 22 instead of No. 32, No. 42, and so on. The point remains: the Vikings are at No. 18 and that shouldn’t change unless a team overpays. Sometimes, QBs make a team overpay, meaning a passer at No. 18 creates intrigue.
Consider who comes in below Minnesota:
- No. 19: Carolina Panthers
- No. 20: Dallas Cowboys
- No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers
- No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers
- No. 23: Philadelphia Eagles
- No. 24: Cleveland Browns
- No. 25: Chicago Bears
- No. 26: Buffalo Bills
- No. 27: San Francisco 49ers
- No. 28: Houston Texans
- No. 29: Kansas City Chiefs
- No. 30: Miami Dolphins
- No. 31: New England Patriots
- No. 32: Seattle Seahawks
In the scenario being discussed here, there are a pile of teams that don’t make sense as trade partners. The Chargers (Justin Herbert), Eagles (Jalen Hurts), Bears (Caleb Williams), Bills (Josh Allen), and several others are all set at quarterback.
There are, however, a pair of teams that look to be in need of quarterback help: the Steelers at No. 21 and Browns at No. 24. Could the Vikings see action from one of those teams? Alternatively, a team that’s high in the 2nd could call, but that’s a move that would require adding a future 1st into the mix.
Simply for the sake of argument, zero in on the Jets at 24. Drafting Simpson has some merit since Geno Smith is the short-term starter. Give the young fella a season or two to acclimate to the NFL behind a proven veteran. After some development, Simpson could take over.
Per PFF, Ty Simpson is the 42nd-best prospect. On the NFL website, the same quarterback sits at 38th. The folks at ESPN put Simpson at 35th. See where this is going?
Pretty commonly, good-but-not-great passers go earlier than expected (Kenny Pickett). Sometimes, the exact opposite happens as talent stays on the board for too long (Shedeur Sanders?). There have been plenty of instances, though, when a team or two thinks highly of a quarterback. So high, in fact, that the team is willing to sink a 1st (or more) into the QB (Jaxson Dart).
Can the Vikings capitalize on that kind of desperation? Possible.
The Vikings are rolling into the 2026 NFL Draft with nine selections. It’s anyone’s guess how things go from a trading perspective since Rob Brzezinski is an unknown as the top decision maker. Simply note that recent years have seen the trades drop off following Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s infamous half dozen from 2022.
What would likely be needed is a Godfather offer, at least to drop down far. Forfeiting a few slots could mean picking up a Day 2 selection.
The top story for the Minnesota Vikings rests in the overstuffed quarterback room. All of Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer are looking to prove capable of thriving. Minnesota is a near lock to avoid plucking a passer out of the 2026 NFL Draft, but doing business with a team looking to add an arm isn’t totally off the table.
The three-day event goes from Thursday, April 23rd until Saturday, April 25th. The Vikings are desperate for a tremendous draft haul.
