Reason No. 1 why the Vikings should trade for Trey Lance
Minnesota needs a replacement for Kirk Cousins
Currently, Kirk Cousins is only under contract with the Vikings until the end of the 2023 season. Cousins' backup, Nick Mullens, is actually the only quarterback on Minnesota's roster who is signed through 2024.
Signs have been pointing to the Vikings wanting to find someone else to be their starting signal-caller by the 2024 season, if not sooner. Some believe Minnesota will see if they can land a top quarterback prospect in this year's NFL Draft. But if the Vikings come away empty-handed, Trey Lance could be the next young passer they set their sights on.
Lance could end up being one of the best options for 2024 if Minnesota doesn't end up drafting one of the top passing prospects at the end of this month or during next year's NFL Draft. Trading for Lance or drafting a new quarterback especially feels like two of the best routes for the Vikings to take when one takes a look at the signal-callers that are currently scheduled to be free agents in 2024.
Cousins is likely going to be the best free-agent quarterback available in 2024 as the group is also currently scheduled to include guys like Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky, and Marcus Mariota.
So if people think Minnesota is just going to sign another veteran quarterback in free agency if Cousins leaves in 2024, that's not something that is likely going to result in a ton of success for the future. At least making a trade for Lance is something that could still result in the Vikings having a franchise quarterback for more than a handful of years.