3 players the Vikings regret passing on with their top 2021 draft pick
By Adam Patrick
Mac Jones – QB (New England Patriots)
When the 2021 season eventually comes to a close for the Vikings, they are going to have a big decision to make about their quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
With one year and a $45 million cap hit left on his current deal with the team, Minnesota will have to figure out how much longer they want Cousins to be their starter under center.
This decision would probably be a lot easier to make had the Vikings used their top pick in the 2021 draft on former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones.
Jones has been the starting signal-caller for all 12 of the New England Patriots games this season and he’s performed well during his first year in the league. In his 12 appearances, the No. 15 pick in the 2021 draft has completed 70.3 percent of his passes for 2,850 yards, 16 touchdowns, and eight interceptions to generate a 97.1 passer rating.
Jones has easily been the best of the rookie quarterbacks this season, and during the last few weeks, he’s been performing better than most of the signal-callers in the entire NFL. In fact, since Week 10, no quarterback has posted a better passer rating (123.0) than the Patriots rookie.
If Minnesota had used their 2021 first-round selection on Jones, they would already have a plan in place for 2022, and moving on from Cousins be the choice.
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The Vikings wouldn’t get to see Jones have as much on-field time as he’s been able to have in New England as a rookie. But from reps in practice, preseason appearances, and how he acts in the meeting room, Minnesota would still be able to determine that Jones would be ready to take over under center as the team’s starting quarterback in 2022.