Raiders’ competition for quarterback makes big move
The jockeying for the top quarterback prospects has begun as the Minnesota Vikings became the first quarterback-needy team to become aggressive as they acquired the No. 23 overall pick in the draft from the Houston Texans on Friday morning.
Vikings now have announced a draft-pick trade with the Texans:
Vikings receive: No. 23 and No. 232
Texans receive: No. 42, No. 188 and a 2025 2nd-round pick.
Minnesota now positioned to potentially pursue a quarterback in round one. pic.twitter.com/CcUntPpNmE
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2024
The Vikings now own the No. 11 and No. 23 picks in the draft and have nine total picks in the April 25-27 draft. The trade is a clear sign that Minnesota is preparing to make another trade at some point to draft a quarterback as they saw starter Kirk Cousins bolt to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency this week.
Now, the question is how high the Vikings will aim. If they want North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, they will have to try tp get up to No. 2 (Washington Commanders) or No. 3 (New England Patriots). But both of those teams very likely will take a quarterback. but expect the Vikings to acquire about the picks.
If, as been speculated about, the Vikings are targeting Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, they could try to get as high as No. 4 in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals could make that deal for both of the Vikings’ first rounds with maybe a little more.
In that scenario, not only would that block the Las Vegas Raiders from the top four quarterbacks, but it could put AFC West rival, the Los Angeles Chargers to draft top wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 5.
The Raiders have expressed a desire to move up in the draft to take a top quarterback prospect, but have also known it would be difficult to execute. Minnesota’s big move now makes it even tougher for the Raiders to get in position to select a top quarterback and the price would now be even steeper for the team that’s first two picks are No. 13 and No. 44.
If the top four picks are off the board early, the Raiders may have to consider taking Washington’s Michael Penix or Oregon’s Bo Nix at No. 13 (if they’re available) or taking a player at another position and take a quarterback later.
Either way, a player like Penix or Nix would have to compete with new free-agent signing Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell in training camp.
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