Vikings 4-Round 2024 Mock Draft: Minnesota trades Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter

First-Round Pick No. 2 (24th overall via New York)

Leonard Taylor - IDL (Miami)

The Jets went all in when they traded for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and now that he is going to miss the entire season with a torn Achilles.

New York is currently relying on former first-rounder, Zach Wilson, to try and lead the team to where they believed Rodgers was going to take them. Wilson just simply isn't very good, and if he has one bad performance, the Jets may panic into making a move at quarterback, and Kirk Cousins' name has been linked to New York.

Similar to 2016, when the Vikings traded a first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Bradford in an attempt to save their Super Bowl aspirations, this selection was acquired after the Jets pulled the trigger and sent their 2024 first-round pick to Minnesota for Cousins before this year's trade deadline.

Through the first two weeks, the Vikings' defensive line, more specifically, the interior, has been dreadful. The current starting three on the defensive line could all be free agents in 2024, and Minnesota probably won't miss any of them.

Chirs Jones and Christian Wilkins are scheduled to become free agents in 2024, and I'd expect the Vikings front office to go big game hunting for one of them.

In next year's draft, Miami defensive lineman Leonard Taylor would be a great piece for Minnesota to add to a rebuilding defensive line.

Taylor excels in pass-rushing situations and has incredible bend for a big man. He's best suited as a 3-4 defensive end, which he would be with the Vikings. Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores would love to get his hands on Taylor and mold him into an absolute weapon for his defense.