{"id":107876,"date":"2024-03-21T02:32:28","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T02:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/?p=107876"},"modified":"2024-03-21T02:34:45","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T02:34:45","slug":"vikings-meeting-with-top-defensive-prospect-raises-questions-on-qb-plans-kieu-linh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/vikings-meeting-with-top-defensive-prospect-raises-questions-on-qb-plans-kieu-linh\/","title":{"rendered":"Vikings\u2019 Meeting With Top Defensive Prospect Raises Questions on QB Plans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0are angling for a quarterback near the top of the first round of the NFL draft, but the team is also preparing to go another direction if necessary.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/bearswire.usatoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/63\/2023\/05\/1354527941.jpg?w=1000&amp;h=600&amp;crop=1\" alt=\"NFL draft: Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner meeting with Chicago Bears\" width=\"746\" height=\"448\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Tom Pelissero of NFL Network\u00a0reported on Wednesday, March 20 that the Vikings are among a small group of teams that elite pass-rushing prospect\u00a0Dallas Turner\u00a0of Alabama will meet with in the coming days.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Alabama edge Dallas Turner \u2014 who could be the first defensive player off the board \u2014 told me he has upcoming pre-draft visits with, among others, the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Bears?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Bears<\/a> (Nos. 1 and 9 overall picks), <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Falcons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Falcons<\/a> (8) and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Vikings?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Vikings<\/a> (11 and 23).<\/p>\n<p>See the interview later on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nflnetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@nflnetwork<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/hjjarYZsv7\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/hjjarYZsv7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TomPelissero\/status\/1770496187583390036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 20, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlabama edge Dallas Turner \u2014 who could be the first defensive player off the board \u2014 told me he has upcoming pre-draft visits with, among others, the #Bears\u00a0(Nos. 1 and 9), #Falcons\u00a0(8) and #Vikings (11 and 23),\u201d\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TomPelissero\/status\/1770496187583390036\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\">Pelissero posted to X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Bears, Falcons More Likely Landing Spots for Dallas Turner Than Vikings<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-inline wp-image-4671672 visible aligncenter\" style=\"font-size: 16px\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1827252312-e1705353700186.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Dallas Turner, Alabama\" width=\"782\" height=\"439\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4671672\" data-lazy-load=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/GettyImages-1827252312-e1705353700186.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" \/><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_4671672\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>Both the Bears and Falcons are more likely to land Turner than the Vikings due to their quarterback situations.<\/p>\n<p>Chicago will presumably use its top overall pick to select USC\u2019s\u00a0Caleb Williams, then will come up on the board again two picks ahead of the Vikings. After trading a fourth-rounder to the\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers\u00a0for wide receiver\u00a0Keenan Allen, the Bears no longer appear in the market for a high-end prospect at that position. That leaves the edge and potentially left tackle as the two areas of need Chicago might address inside the top 10.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Falcons stole\u00a0Kirk Cousins\u00a0out from under Minnesota on the strength of a four-year deal worth\u00a0$180 million, which includes $100 million guaranteed, at the beginning of free agency.\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Mel Kiper predicted\u00a0in his updated mock draft on March 19 that the Falcons will make Turner the first defensive player off the board with the 8th pick, one spot before the Bears\u2019 second selection and three spots ahead of the Vikings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is another pairing that makes too much sense. It\u2019s a combo of biggest positional need\u00a0and\u00a0best available prospect,\u201d Kiper wrote. \u201cThe Falcons, of course, made the biggest splash in free agency by\u00a0signing\u00a0quarterback\u00a0Kirk Cousins, but their defense is mostly the same. They have to get better along the defensive line. \u2026 Turner had\u00a022.5 sacks over three college seasons and he improved his pressure rates every season. He\u2019s the clear No. 1 edge rusher in this class.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Vikings Expected to Target QBs Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy in First Round of NFL Draft<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-inline wp-image-4908110 visible aligncenter\" style=\"font-size: 16px\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1762198433-e1710514121586.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Drake Maye, Minnesota Vikings\" width=\"782\" height=\"439\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4908110\" data-lazy-load=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1762198433-e1710514121586.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" \/><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_4908110\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>The card Minnesota has to play is two first-round picks, with which the team can easily leapfrog both the Bears at No. 9 and Falcons at No. 8 and put itself in position to draft Turner out from under them. The complication, however, is that the Vikings currently intend to use those assets to move into the top five to land a quarterback.<\/p>\n<p>The Vikings signed\u00a0Jonathan Greenard\u00a0to a\u00a0$76 million contract\u00a0and\u00a0Andrew Van Ginkel\u00a0to a\u00a0$20 million deal\u00a0in free agency, addressing the openings left by the departures of\u00a0Danielle Hunter\u00a0and\u00a0Marcus Davenport\u00a0earlier this month. That isn\u2019t to say the blitz-heavy Minnesota defense couldn\u2019t use an elite-level edge rusher playing a premier position on a rookie contract, but Turner isn\u2019t currently the priority.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, the priority is a QB \u2014 namely either\u00a0Drake Maye\u00a0of UNC or\u00a0J.J. McCarthy of Michigan. Who the Vikings are able to land remains in question and will depend largely on how high up they can get via a trade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Vikings Face Several Potential Trade Scenarios to Land QB<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-inline wp-image-4805021 visible aligncenter\" style=\"font-size: 16px\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1900560735-e1708023163985.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" alt=\"Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos, J.J. McCarthy\" width=\"782\" height=\"440\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4805021\" data-lazy-load=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1900560735-e1708023163985.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=782\" \/><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_4805021\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p>The\u00a0Arizona Cardinals, who own the No. 4 overall pick, are the wildcard variable in the equation. The Bears,\u00a0Washington Commanders\u00a0and\u00a0New England Patriots\u00a0have all positioned themselves to take QBs with the top three selections, respectively. The Chargers are primed to move off the No. 5 pick for the right offer.<\/p>\n<p>Minnesota\u2019s accumulation of two first-rounders in 2024, along with a 2025 first-rounder, should be plenty to move into the fifth spot. However, other teams like the\u00a0New York Giants\u00a0(6),\u00a0Denver Broncos\u00a0(12) and\u00a0Las Vegas Raiders\u00a0(13) could try and maneuver into the fourth spot and squeeze the Vikings out.<\/p>\n<p>If that doesn\u2019t happen, the Vikings can guarantee themselves one of the top four QBs with the fifth pick \u2014 likely Maye or McCarthy, as most draft insiders are projecting Williams and\u00a0Jayden Daniels\u00a0to go first and second overall. Or, Minnesota can make a godfather offer to the Cardinals to move into the fourth spot and guarantee itself one of the top four QBs.<\/p>\n<p>However, if the Vikings are going to part with three first-round picks, the best scenario would be to send those to New England in return for the third pick, which would afford Minnesota its choice between Maye and McCarthy.<\/p>\n<p>But if none of that works out, Turner is a viable backup plan as the Vikings reset and formulate another plan toward a franchise quarterback.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0are angling for a quarterback near the top of the first round of the NFL draft, but the team is also preparing to go another direction&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107876\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}