3 reasons why the Vikings are the perfect spot for a rookie quarterback in 2024
By Luke Parrish
Reason No. 1
Vikings already have the weapons in place
It does not matter if a rookie quarterback comes into a situation with a strong defense that can help win games. If a quarterback is going to develop, he needs to have weapons to throw to and an offensive line that can protect him. Minnesota has exactly that, aside from concerns along the interior of the offensive line.
With two bookend tackles and weapons galore in the passing game, the Vikings are set up with the perfect situation for any young quarterback. Part of the reason Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence were able to step in and have early success on bad teams is because they had talent to throw to and make their transition to the NFL that much easier.
The same goes for players like Justin Fields and Daniel Jones, who did not have a ton of talent to throw to and struggled mightily early in their careers despite having the tools and traits to be successful.
There may not be a better receiving room in the NFL across the board than what the Vikings bring to the table. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson were all first-round picks and will be in Minnesota for a long time. K.J. Osborn has solidified himself as a serviceable option as well, giving them four reliable targets.
Mix in Josh Oliver, Ty Chandler, and Jalen Nailor, and the Vikings have a little depth that they can work with. Given that most of the quarterbacks in the upcoming class are much better movers than Cousins, the issues with the interior offensive line are not nearly as problematic - though there will be some hurdles early on.
No matter how you slice it, the offense that a young quarterback would be stepping into is filled with talent and playmaking. Minnesota could even dip into the draft or free agency to add explosiveness out of the backfield to create a better running game.