Are the Vikings a suitor for a new QB?
A recent NFL.com mock draft has Minnesota trading with Philadelphia to take Florida’s Anthony Richardson with the 10th overall pick.
The NFL.com mock predicts the Vikings would send their first-round pick (No. 23), a 2023 third-rounder (No. 87) and a 2024 first-rounder to the Eagles to draft the Florida Gator.
Per The Draft Network’s Jaime Eisner, Minnesota has been “active” in trying to trade up for a new QB.
Minnesota could be looking for a succession plan at QB. Its current QB, Kirk Cousins, is set to become a free agent after the 2023 season. The Vikings could prefer to move on to a younger, cheaper option to lead their offense while allowing that player to learn under Cousins in 2023.
Cousins has passed for 30 or more touchdowns in three of his five seasons in Minnesota, but the team has only one playoff win during his tenure.
The Vikings would clear a significant chunk of cap space by moving on from Cousins. That money could be used to fill holes on a defense that allowed the second-most yards in 2022.
Although raw, Richardson could become an upgrade over Cousins.
The Florida product has been praised for his unique physical skills. He has protoypical size (6-foot-4, 244 pounds) and athleticism for the position. At the scouting combine in March, he ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.43) of any QB prospect.
Richardson has excellent arm strength, but some believe his accuracy is a concern. NFL.com lists his top weaknesses as “inconsistency and inaccuracy,” leading some to label him a project.
The Athletic’s Nate Tice, however, believes the “project” label is not entirely accurate. In a recent tweet, he cited Richardson’s footwork and anticipation as reasons why he is not a raw prospect.
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