Vikings Must Select 1st-Round QB Followed By Defensive Studs

It will take a lot of guts for the Vikings to use their first-round pick in this week’s draft to select a quarterback. However, if Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has the courage to do the right thing, it will likely pay off in the future for this mercurial franchise.

Based on last year’s results, it’s clear the Vikings need a ton of help on defense. They ranked 31st in yards allowed and 30^th in points allowed, and those key numbers neutralized the team’s 13-4 regular-season record that allowed them to win the NFC North with relative ease.

While the Vikings have already addressed some of their defensive needs by signing defensive back Byron Murphy from the Cardinals, outside linebacker Marcus Davenport from the Saints and defensive lineman Dean Lowry from the Packers, quite a bit more is needed.

New defensive coordinator Brian Flores will not allow his players to simply react to what the opposing offense is doing. Instead, the defense will attempt to dictate play with aggressiveness and an understanding of where to attack based on the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents the Vikings will see.

The point is the Vikings have made several key moves on defense and will also use the draft to bring in high-quality players who can turn the defense from one of the worst units in the league to one that is at least in the middle of the pack.

They don’t have to use a first-round pick to make this happen. The Vikings don’t have a slew of draft picks going into the big event, but it doesn’t mean that Adofo-Mensah can’t acquire more picks as the Draft rolls along.

There have been serious hints that the Vikings are willing to trade running back Dalvin Cook and edge rusher Danielle Hunter. If these players can bring in second- and third-round selections, the team’s defensive identity may change that much more.

The belief here is that Cook still has plenty in the tank and remains a valuable piece of the puzzle. He has been one of the best running backs in the NFL for the last four seasons, and even though he will be 28 by the time the season kicks off, the idea that his numbers will diminish does not correlate.

However, the idea that Hunter can once again recapture the form that made him a top-3 pass rusher in 2018 and 2019 is folly. He was limited by injuries in 2020 (no games played) and 2021 (seven games), and his play last year was quite uneven. He finished with a team-leading 10.5 sacks, but he did not dominate.

If Adofo-Mensah can find a trade partner for Hunter, it is the way to go. The fact that Hunter still looks the part may help the general manager get some real value for the pick.

The way to go in this draft is to find that quarterback of the future with the first-round pick, and the target needs to be Hendon Hooker. He is recovering from an ACL injury, but he should be close to top form by the start of the season. The Vikings are clearly committed to Kirk Cousins for the 2023 season and they should be, but they don’t need the marriage to go further than that.

If Cousins has a season of remarkable growth that sees the Vikings get to the NFC Championship Game or further, they can revisit their plans. But it is the quarterback who must do something to change the minds of Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell.

If the Vikings want to show improvement in the upcoming season and for the future, the plan needs to include a quarterback with the top choice, the acquisition of addition second- and third-round picks and the selection of quality defensive players in the rounds that follow the initial pick.

Following that pattern may open the team up for criticism, but it will address both the current and future needs of the Vikings.