Minnesota Vikings News and Links, 28 April 2024

Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance. – Confucius

I have not had much of a chance to give a review of the Vikings draft. I like the trades although I think they could have stayed put and got McCarthy anyway. Sean “douchebag” Payton claims he faked out the Vikings but that is hard to believe. How would the Vikings know the Broncos are on the phone with the Jets? Of course they could made a reasonable guess. Maybe he was on the phone without ever intending to trade up and the Jets told the Vikings that they had another team on the line? I am sure it happens all the time.

We could lament the fact that they did not have those picks but who knows if fourth round or later players will ever make a big contribution.

I love trades so I am not mad about mid to late round picks being given up to get who you want.

The Turner trade is the one to watch IMHO. If the Vikings do not make that trade they probably could have taken Chop Robinson instead and kept their 2025 3rd and 4th round picks.

Since the team is set to have plenty of cap space next year, they can take care of things in free agency.

After Khyree Jackson it is really not worth criticizing.

News and Links

Minnesota Vikings 2024 NFL Draft Grades Roundup

Get your JJ-to-JJ connection shirts at BreakingT!

Vikings pick up fifth-year option on Christian Darrisaw’s contract

Norse Code Podcast Episode 511: Draft Capital

Two Old Bloggers : The Vikings Draft… All Smiles & First Impressions

Mel Kiper takes issue with Minnesota Vikings draft class: ‘Not set up well for next year’

Reason being — Kiper does not believe the Vikings set themselves up well to perform next season. He does think trading up to select McCarthy at No. 10 overall was a bit of a stretch. Still grading him as a first-round pick, Minnesota did give up some assets to go get the Michigan product.

“They’re not set up well for next year,” Kiper said. “That’s the main thing with three picks. Look at JJ McCarthy, a little high for me. No. 15 on the board, you take him at 10. I love Dallas Turner where they got him but after that, I think it all revolves around JJ McCarthy. If he’s as good as some think he can become, I get it. But they gave up a lot to get the players they were able to require.”

“McCarthy is the critical part of this,” Kiper said. “They have everything around the quarterback, there are no excuses here… What does he become? That’s what it’s all about. In three years, where is JJ? Where is this team?”

Five Takeaways on the Minnesota Vikings’ 2024 Draft Class

2. The Vikings put a lot of their eggs into two baskets

The Vikings better hope McCarthy and Turner pan out, because they gave up a lot to go get them. They traded a fourth and a fifth-round pick to go up one spot and ensure that they got McCarthy, getting a sixth-rounder back. Then they traded a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, and a fifth-rounder to move up six spots for Turner. When you factor the March trade the Vikings made for the No. 23 pick, here’s the final tally on what they dealt:

— Vikings get: 1.10 (J.J. McCarthy), 1.17 (Dallas Turner), 6.203 (Will Reichard), 7.232 (Levi Drake Rodriguez)

— Vikings trade: 1.11, 1.23, 2.42, 4.129, 5.157, 5.167, 2025 second-rounder, 2025 third-rounder, 2025 fourth-rounder, 2025 fifth-rounder

As a result of those moves, the Vikings didn’t have a single pick on Day 2 this year and currently have just four picks next year, including a projected compensatory selection. The analytics trade charts didn’t like the trade that got the Vikings the 23rd pick and they certainly didn’t like the price the Vikings paid to move up from 23 to 17. That clearly didn’t bother Adofo-Mensah, who comes from an analytics background.

“Obviously, I’m a spreadsheet and calculator guy myself, but sometimes you’ve gotta step out from there, take your Clark Kent glasses off and just have a championship mindset and swing for a great player,” he said. That quote was about moving up one spot for McCarthy, but it applies even more to the trade for Turner.

Yore Way Too Early 2025 Mock

11. Denzel Burke CB Ohio State

Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

COMP. Nazir Stackhouse DT Georgia

Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/Getty Images

140. Antwane Wells Jr. WR Ole Miss

Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images

152. Bryce Foster IOL Texas A&M

Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

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