The pre-draft buzz about the Vikings drafting a quarterback in the first round turned out to be bogus as CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson quickly flew off the board Thursday night.
That leaves Minnesota with a big question as to what they’ll do about their quarterback position after this season.
Now that the first round QB rumor proved to be untrue, could the Vikings make the long-rumored Kirk for Trey rumor a thing of reality?
“I would call it a pretty serious long shot,” says Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller. “There are a lot of moving parts to make a deal like that happen. It also makes a lot more sense for the Vikings than it does the 49ers. They should give Lance at least one more year to see if he was worth all the draft picks they spent to get him.”
The 49ers gave up three first round picks to move up from 12th over to third overall to draft the Marshall, Minnesota native in 2021. Convincing San Francisco to move on from Lance will take giving up a lot despite the lack of on-field production from Lance since he was drafted.
When asked about all the rumored trade talk, 49ers General Manager John Lynch told media last week, “We’re focused on his ability to compete and play an integral role on this team.”
Minnesota doesn’t have the draft capital alone to make such a trade, thus the need for a QB swap that includes Cousins, who has long been rumored as the one-that-got-away for 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan.
Despite the obvious need to figure out what happens after Kirk, the Vikings have set themselves up to be a desirable landing spot for whoever is next.
Thursday night’s first round pick Jordan Addison will slot into an offense that already features all-world receiver Justin Jefferson, KJ Osborn, TJ Hockenson, and two elite tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
“If they are ready to trade him, the Vikings should be very interested in that idea” said Coller.
More NFL Draft coverage from Bring Me The Sports
– With Jordan Addison the Vikings have built a monster setup for their next QB
– Could the Vikings trade up into Round 2 for Hendon Hooker, Will Levis, or Joey Porter Jr.?
– Watch: Kirk Cousins reacts live to Vikings drafting Jordan Addison
– Watch: Moment fans learn Vikings were taking Jordan Addison at No. 23
