NFL Experts Talk Options in 2024 Draft & Potential Trades to Pick QB

Gregg Rosenthal agreed with Lewis, saying he “isn’t in love” with the prospect of moving up to the top five picks for McCarthy if there’s a chance to get him lower.

“I’d rather sit where they are now, actually,” Rosenthal opined. “See if he actually falls, which I think is a bigger chance than people really make it out to be.”

Reuter is “Team Stay at 11” for Minnesota, noting that the Vikings can get not one but two great players if they hang onto the 11^th and 23^rd overall selections.

If they do that, though, do they have to go QB first … or could they wait?

“One of those two picks is going to be a quarterback. And the other one is going to have to … be to bulk up the defense a little bit,” Reuter said. “And it really is going to depend on what kind of grades they have for the quarterbacks.

“They may not have that first-round grade on any of the guys who will be available at 11, so they may wait until that 23^rd spot to get their quarterback and then get their elite defender later or earlier in the draft,” he added. “Kind of like they did [in 2014] when they picked Anthony Barr [at No. 9] and then traded up late in the first round for Teddy Bridgewater.”

Reuter said if Adofo-Mensah does decide to move up, there’s potentially deals to be made with the Cardinals at No. 4 or Chargers at No. 5. He expects that it would take three picks from this year’s draft, including the two first-rounders, in addition to a possible 2025 first-round spot.

“They’re gonna have to pay a pretty heavy price to go up and get one of those guys,” he said.

Reuter believes the Vikings are prepared to make a splash move in the right situation but likely won’t force it.

“I think you saw they have the capability when they made that trade with the Texans, right? I mean, I think they know they have the capability … If the player is worth the value, they’ll use it. But I don’t think this team is into overpaying,” Reuter said. “So I think they will be patient if they … ‘Look, we love those guys, but we think the next guy in line at quarterback could be a good starter for us, as well. So why invest so many picks into the one player?’ I think they’re capable of doing it, or they might want to do it, but not at too high a price.”