#TankForTrevor Is Unrealistic for the Vikings
Zeke Warren-Weigmann
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After the Vikings fell to 0-3 following their 31-30 loss to the Tennessee Titans, calls for the team to #TankForTrevor could be heard off in the distance. After barely pulling off a week four win against the hapless Houston Texans, a winless team that is literally Deshaun Watson throwing to the NFL equivalent of a half-eaten ham sandwich, those calls have reached a dull roar.
However, as much as Minnesota fans might want to see Clemson University Quarterback and generational talent Trevor Lawrence as their next signal caller, to expect as much is unrealistic.
Unfortunately, the Vikings are just too good. It is a foregone conclusion at this point that Lawrence will be going number one overall in the 2021 draft. There is no chance in hell the Vikings are going to get a draft pick that high, even with this season being an abject disaster.
With the likes of Dalivn Cook, Adam Thielen, and Justin Jefferson, Minnesota has some legitimate offensive weapons, ones that will carry them to at least a few wins, especially against the Detroit Lions (who they play in both weeks nine and seventeen), as well as against the Jacksonville Jaguars (who they play in week thirteen).
When compared to the rosters of teams with a legitimate shot at the first overall pick, like the New York Giants, the New York Jets, and the Atlanta Falcons, the Vikings’s talent is leaps and bounds ahead.
If the Vikings were intent on taking a QB in the draft, they should instead turn their sights to more realistic pickups, like North Dakota State University’s Trey Lance, or University of Texas’s Sam Ehlinger.
Additionally, even if the Vikings were to somehow land the top spot at the upcoming draft, there is significant debate over whether or not Vikings general manager Rick Spielman would take Lawrence.
As disappointing as Kirk Cousins and the pass offense has been, it has never been worse than the middle of the pack. The defense on the other hand, despite fielding significant names like Erik Kendricks and Harrison Smith, has been downright horrific, ranking deadlast in defending both the rush and the pass through three weeks.
This team needs some serious defensive help, help that could be acquired through the draft if Minnesota were to land such a high draft pick. There is definitely an argument for Speilman to pass on Lawrence in favor of a top defensive prospect, or to trade out of the pick for a king’s ransom, that could in turn be used to acquire a boatload of picks and defensive players.
As much as Vikings fans may be clamoring for Lawrence to don the purple and gold once he has hung up the orange and white, the chances of that happening are slim to none.