Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah says the team is “not locked in” to drafting a quarterback this year after the departure of Kirk Cousins.
Adofo-Mensah responded with a blunt “No” when asked if the Vikings are now forced to draft a QB in the upcoming draft after Cousins’ departure.
After six years in Minnesota, Cousins signed a massive four-year, $180 million deal with Atlanta. The move left the Vikings without a true starting QB, something they remedied by inking former 49er’s QB Sam Darnold to a one-year deal.
The Vikings GM says the team enters the draft with “flexibility.”
“If the opportunity comes where ‘that player’ is available then we’ll take it,” said Adofo-Mensah. “If it’s not available in that sense, then we’ll continue to build around and then find potential odds at a long term solution, in addition to what we already brought in with Sam [Darnold] and anybody else we acquire.”
Minnesota has the No. 11 pick in the upcoming draft. After Cousins left for Atlanta it has become widely thought the Vikings would take a quarterback in this year’s draft.
O’Connell appeared to tip his hand as to who the starter would be mentioning a “competition” in the quarterback room. Right now the Vikings have Darnold, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall as the only QBs on the roster.
Mullens started played in five games, starting three, for the Vikings in 2023. The 28-year-old threw for 1,306 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions. Hall started two games, finishing neither after being injured on the second drive against Atlanta in Week 9 and being benched at halftime against Green Bay in Week 17.
