It's not much of a secret that the Minnesota Vikings are searching for the quarterback of the future. With Kirk Cousins now suiting up for the Atlanta Falcons, the purple and gold need to find that starter to hole down the position for many years to come.
The Vikings currently have Sam Darnold slated to start with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall behind him on the depth chart. Nearly everyone expects general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to do whatever it takes to land their future starter during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Sadly, drafting a quarterback can be a huge gamble. Even the most productive college quarterback that shows a ton of potential can end up struggling and becoming a flop, making it hard for a coach or general manager to keep their jobs in the process.
For Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell, the stakes of getting the quarterback decision during the 2024 NFL draft are huge. Both are in their positions for the first time in Minnesota and both will have their reputations tied to the rookie passer they draft later this month.
How many franchise quarterbacks do the Minnesota Vikings see in the 2024 NFL Draft?
The Vikings have scouts working hard to make sure the team makes a wise decision during the 2024 NFL Draft. Getting this pick right would be a huge step in preparing the franchise to be competitive for many years to come.
Recently, Minnesota's GM was asked how many of the quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft he would feel comfortable "hitching his wagon" to, and the response that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gave was a smart one.
#Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah declined to answer how many franchise quarterbacks they have on their board because it would make phone calls with other teams more difficult.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 11, 2024
Minnesota has picks 11 and 23, and they are a trade-up team everyone is watching.pic.twitter.com/7gbAv6FP36
This time of year, it's smart not to give too much information away, especially with the draft being as close as it is. Many analysts are giving their opinions on the quarterback prospects heading into the draft but saying how many quarterbacks he sees as potential franchise guys could put the Vikings at a disadvantage when it comes to trying to make trades.
Each quarterback in this draft has positives and negatives associated with them. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix and others all have attractive qualities that a football team could gamble on.
The Minnesota Vikings haven't had the best of luck when drafting quarterbacks. With the exception of Hall of Fame passer Fran Tarkenton and the electric Daunte Culpepper, there hasn't been much to write home about. Hopefully they can get this decision right at the 2024 NFL Draft.