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Minnesota Vikings Blasted by Unnamed NFL Executive For Draft Day Trade

Originally posted on Minnesota Sports Fan
By Vincent Frank | Last updated 5/2/24

The Minnesota Vikings have received a ton of praise from pundits around the football world after the 2024 NFL Draft.

For good reason. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah sought areas of need. He dialed in on specific players at those positions. He traded up — twice in the first round alone.

This is the best way to go about your draft strategy. Find value and need. Minnesota unearthed that by nabbing quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick after trading up just one spot. Later in the first round, the Vikings shocked everyone by moving up from 23 to 17 for EDGE rusher Dallas Turner from Alabama. Two needs filled. Two first-round trades.

Apparently, some around the NFL are not as high on the Vikings’ early haul during last week’s draft.

The Athletic just ran an extensive report on reactions from unnamed executives around the league as it relates to this year’s NFL Draft. One executive spoke out against Minnesota’s decision to trade up for Turner.

“I can buy trading some future picks if you are going to be contending and you are going to get a potential starter. But the Vikings are not even close to contending. What they did, or even what the Bears did in giving up a (2025) fourth (for a fifth this year), I would not be doing that if I were those teams.”
Unnamed executive on Minnesota Vikings draft

Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft Trades Under Scrutiny

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Minnesota yielded third- and fourth-round picks next year to the Jacksonville Jaguars in order to move up for Turner. This came after it gave up another second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to move back into the first round for the 23rd selection with the Houston Texans earlier in the offseason.

Sure, this complicates things for Adofo-Mensah as he looks to build a contender following the departure of Kirk Cousins. Using four picks over two years to select just a couple of players could lead to some issues when it comes to roster construction moving forward.

As for the broader point this unnamed executive made, it remains an open question whether Minnesota will be able to contend for a playoff spot next season. The NFC North is absolutely stacked, headed by the reigning NFC runner-up Detroit Lions. The Chicago Bears have improved leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, Jordan Love’s ascension to elite status makes the Green Bay Packers a legitimate contender.

In reality, none of this will really matter if McCarthy and Turner pan out for the Vikings. If one of cornerback Khyree Jackson (4th-round pick) and defensive tackle Walter Rouse (6th-round pick) hit, that will only be magnified further.

Adofo-Mensah took his shot. He will be defined by it. His future in Minneapolis will rely on the 2024 NFL Draft class. Don’t think for one second that this is lost on the general manager.

This article first appeared on Minnesota Sports Fan and was syndicated with permission.

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