The prospects have been drafted, the mock drafts have been busted, and the rookies are onto their first NFL teams. Surprisingly, the Vikings stayed put in the first round and selected Jordan Addison with the 23rd pick. They proceeded to trade down to the last pick of the first round and selected Addison’s college teammate at USC, Mekhi Blackmon. Day 3 was the most eventful for the team, grabbing four players. Overall, the Vikings created quite a bit of value for the draft capital they had going into the draft. With six drafted rookies and 15 undrafted free agents, let’s take a look at how they impact the Vikings’ outlook going forward.
Halfway in for 2023?
The Vikings were severely restricted in cap space and draft capital this off-season so it was evident that making that Super Bowl-caliber leap into contention in the 2023 season would be nearly impossible without sacrificing the team’s future. So, instead of making a Gobert-Timberwolves-esque move, the team conservatively invested in young talent to remain somewhat competitive but keep the focus on the future. The Vikings certainly did not go “all in” for 2023, but they added competent pieces to support both sides of the ball. Addison will make life easy for Kirk and rookies Blackmon, Ward, and Roy should help upgrade the defense.
While the future was likely the priority for this draft, over a win-now mentality, the Vikings also passed on the opportunity to draft a possible starting-caliber quarterback in Will Levis. Though I doubt Levis will pan out as a successful quarterback in the NFL, it is important to note that the Vikings passed on him. This means they are committed to Kirk Cousins for the 2023 season without an obvious successor. Essentially, this year will be a “make or break” season for Kirk Cousins. It would likely take something like a Super Bowl appearance to re-sign Cousins beyond 2023. It should be noted that the Vikings drafted 25-year-old BYU quarterback Jaren Hall in the fifth round. This pick is more of a flyer than anything, it would be great if he turned out to be a possible starter for 2024, but a serviceable backup is what to expect with a 5th-round quarterback.
Veterans’ Futures
The Vikings had needs at wide receiver and cornerback that they targeted and hopefully placated through the draft. However, in the seventh round, the Vikings snagged UAB running back, DeWayne McBride. McBride figures to be competing for the third-string spot with Ty Chandler. Cook and Mattison remain one and two on the depth chart, however, the trade takes have been swirling surrounding Dalvin Cook (many, including me, thought he would be traded during the draft). The McBride pick has been lauded by experts and fans alike, he is a prospect with a ton of potential. While his presence in Minnesota does not mean anything definitive for Dalvin Cook, it certainly feels like Cook could be out the door.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings nabbed a lot of talent, however, they did not select an edge rusher. Meanwhile, Danielle Hunter is disgruntled with his contract situation and Za’Darius Smith has made it clear that he may be on his way out the door. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company not selecting an edge rusher could indicate that Smith and Hunter are willing to stay in the purple and gold. The duo makes up most of the team’s pass rush, without them Marcus Davenport and Patrick Jones II are the next men up. While both of them have potential, Smith and Hunter both flashed top-10 upside throughout this past season. The decision not to draft an edge rusher indicates the team’s confidence in retaining the two.
The Vikings did a good job addressing their most important needs through Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s second draft with the team. While the squad feels a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention, a career year from Cousins could push these Vikings pretty far this season. This draft was a good sign of the path that the team is on, Adofo-Mensah has made it easy to get excited about the team’s future.
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