Breaking: Vikings Trade Proposal Flips WR Justin Jefferson for Elite QB Prospect

In order to select a quarterback, the Minnesota Vikings have set themselves up to move up to picks No. 4 or No. 5, but they have the weapons to aim even higher.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell discussed the implications of the Vikings’ deal with the Houston Texans on Saturday, March 16, which added the No. 23 selection, for the team’s quarterbacking situation going forward. Barnwell agreed that a trade involving the Los Angeles Chargers, who own the fifth overall pick, is still the most sensible option.

However, if the Vikings are willing to include wide receiver Justin Jefferson or left tackle Christian Darrisaw, they could potentially get into the top three and make a play for one of the best three QB prospects in the 2024 class: Caleb Williams of USC, Jayden Daniels of LSU or Drake Maye of UNC.

The Vikings have exceptional players at both wide receiver and left tackle, something the [New England] Patriots need to address. However, Barnwell stated that trading either player as part of a move would put the new quarterback behind the curve before he ever took the field. Although Nos. 11 and 23 wouldn’t be sufficient to secure the third pick, paying the price of Nos. 11, 23, and either Jefferson or Darrisaw would be prohibitive. The foundation of any trade the Vikings and Patriots make together would have to be their two first-round picks and a future first-round pick.

Trade With Patriots Would Represent Vikings’ Move for Either Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye

Although Barnwell finally concluded on Saturday that Minnesota would need to trade three first-round picks in order to get into the top three, this conclusion defies his own evaluation of Jefferson’s trade worth from October.

“I don’t think Jefferson would land three first-round picks in a trade, but if they decided to rebuild from the ground up and trade him, the Vikings probably could grab two first-round picks and a mid-round pick or a starting-caliber veteran,” Barnwell wrote in October 2023.

Dealing Jefferson, who can’t be happy about Kirk Cousins leaving in free agency and Sam Darnold joining on a one-year contract, in addition to the No. 11 pick should be enough to move Minnesota into third place by trade with the Patriots.

The Vikings should only make that move if they are confident in the guy they will select at No. 3, who is probably Maye or Daniels, and if that player is the best quarterback available (or at least the second-best after Williams, who is almost certain to go with the Chicago Bears at No. 1).

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Insider Predicts Vikings Trade to No. 5, Draft J.J. McCarthy

Even in that case, trading Jefferson for the best quarterback available (Daniels or Maye) wouldn’t be a wise decision for the Vikings, especially if the player they can select at No. 5 (J.J. McCarthy) develops into a comparable NFL prospect.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, Minnesota will select McCarthy as their choice in the end and select him with the Nos. 11 and 23 choices, moving up to the fifth round. But Yates thinks the Vikings will lose all three of the picks Barnwell said the team could utilize to get into the third spot because of the deal.

Fields added, “I have the Vikings sending pick Nos. 11 and 23, along with a 2025 first-rounder, to the Chargers for this No. 5 selection. With quarterbacks coming off the board quickly, that means McCarthy will be Minnesota’s pick in that scenario.”