Why the Vikings (probably) will not draft a quarterback in 2022

With the way the contract of Kirk Cousins is now set up, the chances of the Minnesota Vikings using a pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on a quarterback don’t seem high.

Right before the start of the NFL’s legal tampering period last month, the Minnesota Vikings decided to give quarterback Kirk Cousins a one-year contract extension. Cousins’ new deal effectively locks him in with the Vikings until 2024 when it expires, especially since this most recent extension includes a no-trade clause.

Despite Minnesota extending Cousins this offseason, some have still wondered if the team could use one of their selections in the upcoming NFL Draft on a quarterback.

The Vikings have reportedly met with former Liberty signal-caller Malik Willis and former Cincinnati passer Desmond Ridder within the last few weeks according to WalterFootball.com. Both are projected to come off the board within the first few rounds of this year’s draft.

How high are the chances of Willis or Ridder ending up on Minnesota’s roster after the draft in a few weeks?

Extension for Kirk Cousins likely means Minnesota Vikings won’t be picking a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft

Even though the Vikings have met with Willis and Ridder this offseason, no one should be expecting either of these quarterback prospects to land with Minnesota during the 2022 NFL Draft.

Aside from just needing a new signal-caller, one of the biggest reasons why rookie quarterbacks are so coveted around the league by multiple teams is due to the very favorable contracts that they enter the NFL with.

If a rookie passer quickly develops into a high-level performer in the league, it could allow a team to build a very talented roster from the money they are saving by having a rookie quarterback as their starter.

This advantage wouldn’t exist for the Vikings if they drafted a young passer this year since Cousins is likely going to be on the team’s roster for another two seasons. They would essentially be wasting the first year or two of a rookie quarterback’s contract if they selected one in the upcoming 2022 draft.

Minnesota could have other plans in mind and they could shock everyone by drafting a quarterback in a few weeks. But the chances of this actually happening still seem very low after their decision to extend Cousins last month.