Adofo-Mensah: Vikings 'in love' with multiple QBs ahead of draft
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday that the front office and coaching staff are enamored with multiple quarterback prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
"We've felt that way for a long time," Adofo-Mensah said during his pre-draft press conference. "When you go back to the team element and value, there's multiple guys that we're in love with just on an outright basis. But there's other guys that we're in love with if we can get them at a certain value."
He added, "A lot of times evaluators can be a little one-track mind: "This is the guy and nobody else." That's not how it's been. We've really come to appreciate how guys get to their answer a different way, and I think that's going to serve us well."
The Vikings have a major question at quarterback after losing Kirk Cousins to free agency, as their depth chart at the sport's most important position features Jaren Hall, Nick Mullens, and the recently signed Sam Darnold.
Minnesota has been heavily linked to a trade up in the draft to take a signal-caller. The team owns the 11th overall pick - a slot that may not be high enough to land a top quarterback prospect this year - but recently acquired an extra first-round selection - 23rd overall - from the Houston Texans.
The draft is headlined by quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. This class also includes potential first-round passers in J.J. McCarthy - whose draft stock has been rising lately - and Michael Penix Jr.
The Chicago Bears are widely expected to select Williams first overall, while the Washington Commanders are also projected to take a QB at No. 2. The New England Patriots own the third overall pick but could trade down to address other roster needs.
The Vikings haven't drafted a quarterback in Round 1 since taking Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. Under Adofo-Mensah, the team's first picks in the last two drafts were safety Lewis Cine and receiver Jordan Addison.
Adofo-Mensah said Thursday that he understands the risks behind drafting a quarterback early in the first round, but he's not intimidated by it.
"Just because something is risky doesn't mean you're scared of it," the 42-year-old executive added. "It's uncertain and we've got to take our swing, but that doesn't give us any pause."
In the latest edition of theScore's NFL mock draft, the Vikings trade up to select Maye at No. 3.