Breaking: Vikings set to step up significant package to sign QB

“If they’re going to take one, it’s going to be someone we love or we’re not doing it.”

Vikings wouldn't "bat an eye" trading multiple firsts to move up for a QB - Sports Illustrated Minnesota Sports, News, Analysis, and More

If the Vikings are going to get one of the top quarterbacks in April’s draft, they will likely have to put together a significant package to move up. According to the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, Minnesota’s front office “understand” what it will cost them.

“If they’re going to take one, it’s going to be someone we love or we’re not doing it,” Goessling told KFAN’s Paul Allen Tuesday. “If you have to give up a couple first-round picks for future years, I don’t think they’d bat an eye at that.”

The Vikings have the No. 11 pick but with the QB-needy Bears, Commanders and Patriots holding the top three picks, Minnesota is seemingly well out of position to get their QB of the future. At least that’s the case if they have eyes for Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels.

“They have certainly looked at this as ‘we need to get the guy that we can plant our flag with for the next 10 years and if it costs a lot to do that, so be it,'” continued Goessling. “I don’t think they’re going to limp in on this, so to speak, and be like, ‘Well, if it’s QB5 and we’re kind of OK with him let’s take him anyway.'”

In 2023 the Panthers traded their first- and second-round picks (No. 9 and No. 61) in the 2023 draft along with their first-round pick in 2024, second-round pick in 2025 and receiver D.J. Moore for the No. 1 overall pick.

If Minnesota is going to trade up into the top three it’s going to take something similar. The Vikings currently have their next three first- and second-round picks though they lack players who could be valuable trade chips.

“You have to have [the trade compensation] be enough that whoever may feel the same way about those quarterbacks that you do says ‘This is better,'” continued Goessling. “You have to give somebody enough that either New England or Washington says ‘No, we’re OK passing up on a guy that we think can be a great player for a long time.’ And maybe they won’t see it the same way, that would help the Vikings out. But you have to figure somebody else will. So you have to outbid all them and make the Commanders or Patriots say, ‘As much as we like this guy it’s hard to pass up this kind of a package.’ It would cost a lot and you’re probably going to pay a premium to get up and get one of those guys given the way the board breaks for a lot of these teams that need quarterbacks.”

This wouldn’t be the first time the current Vikings front office has contemplated moving up. Minnesota reportedly looked into trading up for one of the top QBs last year but were unable to pull of a deal.

“They looked at it last year. They probably didn’t have quite enough capital to get up to three or four [to get Anthony Richardson]. Richardson, Stroud, Young, they liked all three of them,” Goessling said.