Done Deal: Vikings trade pitch flips Justin Jefferson, picks into franchise QB

admin | February 26, 2024 | Minasota Vikings | No Comments

The Minnesota Vikings aren’t budging on a fully-guaranteed contract for Kirk Cousins, which means there could be a new starting QB in town by the time next season kicks off.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported recently that the Vikings are serious about finding themselves a new franchise QB, adding and that the best way to do so might be to dangle wide receiver Justin Jefferson as the center of a trade package that can get them into that particular conversation.

“[The Vikings] want, I believe, a franchise quarterback and trading Justin Jefferson could be the key toward getting the return to move up [in the draft], if that’s what they want to do,” Florio said, per The Viking Age’s X account on Monday, February 19.

Justin Jefferson Retains Massive Trade Value Heading Into 5th NFL Season

The Vikings could try and deal Jefferson just about anywhere in the league and get themselves at least a couple of first-rounders back.

“I don’t think Jefferson would land three first-round picks in a trade, but the Vikings likely would be able to nab two first-rounders and a mid-round pick or a starting-caliber veteran if they decided to rebuild from the ground up and trade him,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote in October 2023, adding that it wasn’t a plan he would endorse.

Minnesota’s own No. 11 pick, plus a couple of other first-rounders — one somewhere in the top half of this year’s draft and another with prospects to be solid in 2025 — should be able to get the Vikings into serious conversations with the likes of the New England Patriots at No. 3.

In fact, No. 11 and another first, plus lesser draft assets probably accomplishes that. Dan Graziano of ESPN reported on February 10 that the Patriots could be convinced to trade out of their spot and named the Vikings as one of the teams to watch in a potential deal along with the Atlanta Falcons.

Direct Trade With Bears for No. 1 Pick Likely to Cost Vikings Justin Jefferson, Draft Haul

Going up to No. 3 would be nice, and it would put the Vikings in position to guarantee themselves either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, depending on who the Washington Commanders select at No. 2. This is all assuming the Chicago Bears will draft Caleb Williams of USC No. 1 overall, which most national reporting from NFL insiders over the last several weeks has indicated will be the case.

That said, if the Vikings are willing to punt on Jefferson for a chance to draft a quarterback, they should probably only do so if they can land the signal-caller of their choice. The only way to accomplish that is to acquire the No. 1 pick, which would likely require a direct deal with the Bears.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported on February 10 that it would take a “historic haul” to move Chicago off the top pick in the draft. The Bears got two firsts, two seconds and receiver DJ Moore from the Carolina Panthers for the top selection in 2023.

As such, Jefferson — worth two firsts and a mid-rounder, via Barnwell — plus two more firsts from Minnesota (No. 11 in 2024 and a first-rounder in 2025) feels like it’s in the ballpark of the value Rapoport described ahead of the Super Bowl.