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It's been an eventful offseason for the Minnesota Vikings after losing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to free agency. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. That left Minnesota with a clear hole at the quarterback position heading into 2024.
Last year, we saw what a Vikings-led offense would look like without Cousins. It resulted in three quarterbacks (Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall) all getting multiple starts. However, it didn't exactly work out, as the team went 3-6 in those games.
With Cousins now gone, what is the Vikings' plan at quarterback? Let's dive in and find out.
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Who is the Current Starting Quarterback for the Vikings?
Losing Cousins this offseason was a big loss for Minnesota. He led them to a 13-4 record during the 2022 season, and he was on pace for a career year in 2023 before tearing his Achilles in Week 8. Nonetheless, the team will enter this upcoming year with a new quarterback.
The favorite to start for the Vikings in Week 1 -- before the 2024 NFL Draft occurs -- is Sam Darnold. Minnesota signed Darnold to a one-year deal this offseason, and it appears it has confidence in him being its starter for the time being. The 26-year-old spent the 2023 season backing up Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Vikings are exploring starting Sam Darnold in 2024 and drafting a QB in 2025, per @SeifertESPN pic.twitter.com/CIW5bkFjLS
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) April 2, 2024
Darnold hasn't lived up to his expectations as a top-three draft pick, but the potential is there for him to succeed in a solid offense. With weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson in the passing game, the Vikings are hopeful that will help him be a reliable quarterback option for them in 2024.
Who Could the Vikings Pick During the NFL Draft?
Despite the Vikings expressing optimism in Darnold as their quarterback, the expectation is that they will select a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. If they want a quarterback in Round 1, though, chances are they will need to trade up. Minnesota currently owns the 11th and 23rd overall picks in April's draft.
However, that might not be enough to draft a top quarterback in this class. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye are all expected to get drafted in the top three, while J.J. McCarthy won't be selected far behind them. Minnesota will likely need to package both of its first-round picks to move into the top five to select McCarthy.
Per @PAOnTheMic via @KFAN1003, he thinks if the #Vikings trade up in the draft it will be either for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy 👀
“this is for me, that it’s Maye or McCarthy if [the Vikings] do move up in the draft & I’d be completely fine with that.”
📸: @On3sports pic.twitter.com/0DeIfDi5q3
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) April 3, 2024
The Vikings have been linked to McCarthy for months now, and there's a chance they move up to select him. If they stay put, though, they could take Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. late in the first round or early in the second round.
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