Vikings purchase second 1st-round decide in commerce with Texans

The Minnesota Vikings acquired the Houston Texans’ first-round draft decide Friday morning in a commerce that could possibly be a precursor to transferring additional up within the spherical to pick out a quarterback to exchange departed Kirk Cousins.

Within the deal, the Vikings acquired the Texans’ No. 23 decide together with a seventh-round decide (No. 232 total). The Texans obtained the Vikings’ second-round decide (No. 42), their sixth-round decide (No. 188) and their second-round decide in 2025.

The deal preserved the Vikings’ personal first-round decide, No. 11, which they may in principle package deal with the No. 23 decide to maneuver up within the spherical.

Talking Thursday to reporters in Minnesota, Vikings normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated Cousins’ departure didn’t lock the crew into drafting a quarterback within the first spherical. The Vikings have signed free agent Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract as a possible bridge starter in 2024, and Adofo-Mensah stated he thought the crew had the “flexibility to go both manner.”

“If the chance comes the place that participant’s accessible,” he stated, “we’ll take it. If it is not accessible in that sense, we’ll proceed to construct round after which discover potential odds at a long-term resolution, along with what we have already introduced in with Sam and anyone else we require. So actually, the reply is not some strict factor. And a part of that’s the flexibility we have wished to place into our plan for these previous couple years.”

Friday’s transfer, nonetheless, made it clear that Adofo-Mensah desires to offer himself not less than the chance to maneuver up additional in a draft the place it is potential that not one of the groups that personal the highest three picks — the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots — shall be excited about buying and selling out as a result of all of them reportedly need to draft a quarterback. In that situation, there could possibly be a contest amongst a number of groups for the No. 4 decide owned by the Arizona Cardinals, who look like set with starter Kyler Murray.