The 2024 NFL Draft is later this month and most people expect the Minnesota Vikings to do whatever they can to land their quarterback of the future. But what happens if the draft goes off the rails and the team can't secure one of the prospects they like?
Options are everywhere for the Vikings during this year's draft. Since they own the No. 11 and No. 23 overall picks, they are in a decent position to trade up for a player they believe has enough potential to become a regular starter for many years to come.
If they fail to trade up, they could look to use one of those two first-round draft picks to take one of the quarterbacks who weren't chosen in the top ten as long they are still players Minnesota could see developing into a major contributor.
What happens if the Vikings fail to trade up to grab one of the top prospects and the quarterbacks on the board when Minnesota is on the clock aren't near the top of the team's big board in the firs5 round of the draft?
The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for every scenario
At the moment, the Vikings have three quarterbacks on their roster: Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall. Darnold was signed this offseason as insurance to start the season and likely play until a rookie is ready to step into the lineup.
However, if Minnesota doesn't come out of the draft with a high-potential quarterback, it wouldn't be too shocking to see the team roll with Darnold behind center for the 2024 NFL season or explore other opens at the position.
During his pre-draft conference, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke about the challenge of trying to prepare for an unpredictable event like the draft when it has such a massive impact on the future of the franchise.
""You have to be ready for everything, It's a very deep class. But I do think you have to be ready for every scenario. If there's elite players at premium positions on the board, I don't think you're supposed to reach or force or anything like that. "Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
Vikings fans are familiar with the idea of reaching for a quarterback and not having it work out. In the 2011 NFL Draft, Minnesota surprised many people when the team selected Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder at No. 12 overall.
Forcing a quarterback pick would not be wise for a first-time general manager. His career will be tied to whichever player he picks to be the next signal caller for the Minnesota Vikings and that is a lot to risk on a player who was chosen as a Hail Mary during the draft.