With Kirk Cousins set to hit free agency and the rumors swirling about him leaving Minnesota, many have begun to think about life after Cousins for the Minnesota Vikings. That’s leading many to believe the Vikings are going to be aggressive in the 2024 NFL Draft to get their QB of the future. The latest in that trend comes from Joe Broback of Pro Football Network.
In his latest mock draft for PFN, Broback has the Vikings being about as aggressive as they can be, moving all the way up to the top spot in the draft to take former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. In the move, Broback projects the Vikings giving up picks 11, 42, 126, along with first and second round picks in 2025, in exchange for the #1 pick and a sixth round pick in 2025. Here’s Broback’s full analysis on the selection:
There’s a growing belief that Minnesota wants to move up in this draft, but at what cost? To get Drake Maye or Caleb Williams, the Vikings give up significant draft capital. How much remains to be seen, but it’s likely they’ll need more if they trade with Chicago.
Maye is a great fit in Minnesota’s offense. He has the arm talent to move the ball down the field on all three levels, and that’s a major crux as to why he’s considered a top-two pick. He’ll do well under Kevin O’Connell’s tutelage, but Maye also gives the Vikings an aspect that they didn’t have with Kirk Cousins.
One of the biggest gripes with Cousins was his inability to escape pressure frequently. Maye’s mobility allows this team to breathe more easily, and now the fan base can wait to see how he develops.
On the surface, that seems like a lot to give up to get a quarterback, especially in a class with multiple good options. However, at the end of the day, if you get it right with the quarterback no one cares how much you gave up to get him. Minnesota already has a solid supporting cast in place, if they’ve decided Maye is THE guy, they should be aggressive in getting him.
