MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 24: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a touchdown during a preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 24, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Image: Getty)
The Minnesota Vikings acquired the Houston Texans’ first-round pick in a trade confirmed on Friday. The move-up in the draft order is likely a precursor to draft a quarterback to replace Kirk Cousins who recently joined the Atlanta Falcons.
In the trade, the Vikings received the No. 23 overall pick and a seventh-round pick (No. 232 overall) from Houston, who in turn secured the Vikings’ second-round pick (No. 42), their sixth-round pick and their second-round pick in 2025.
The Vikings preserved their original first-round pick at No. 11 overall which they could, in theory, package with the No. 23 overall pick in another trade to move even further up in the draft order if they are serious about drafting an elite quarterback from this year’s draft class.
These moves are similar to what the Chicago Bears did, trading Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers given that they’ll be able to draft star quarterback Caleb Williams in the number one overall pick of the draft. Experts around the NFL have referred to the Fields trade as a “robbery,” in favor of the Steelers, so the Vikings will hope they can find value with their draft picks.
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Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said on Thursday that Cousins’ departure to Atlanta did not lock them into drafting a quarterback in the first round, especially since they recently signed free agent quarterback Sam Darnold on a one-year, $10 million contract as a potential filler until they can find another franchise starter.
“If the opportunity comes where that player’s available,” Adofo-Mensah said, “we’ll take it. If it’s not available in that sense, we’ll continue to build around and then find potential odds at a long-term solution, in addition to what we’ve already brought in with Sam and anybody else we require. So really, the answer isn’t some strict thing. And part of that is the flexibility we’ve wanted to put into our plan for these past couple of years.”
It’s just a wonder as to how much of a “robbery” this trade will be after the Vikings make their decision.
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