How Early is Too Early to Draft a QB?

Kirk Cousins may well finish up as the Vikings’ QB for 5 or six years. If that occurs, it’ll be due to the fact a single of two matters occurred. Either he ultimately elevates into the NFL’s upper echelon or the workforce abandons any pretense of being fascinated in anything at all other than mediocrity.

If the much more plausible circumstance takes place, the Vikings will be hunting for a new passer in a number of seasons. That’s a predicament wherever the group likely decides to hand the crew around to a youthful fella.

Section of what obtained me thinking about this topic is a new piece on The Draft Community. The 7-round mock has the Vikings likely with QB Sam Howell in RD2. Consider a peak at their rationale for the selection:

Kirk Cousins cannot play endlessly and Vikings fans in all probability really do not want him to in any case. Sam Howell is not a 1st-round quarterback prospect but he’ll start to garner desire ideal close to this place in spherical two. He’s a much better athlete than Cousins and could convey far more to the offense with his legs in a 12 months or two. Cousins is not heading anyplace (sans a trade shortly right after this is revealed) in 2022, but including a prospect like Howell to take above in 2023 would be a sensible method.

The current extension ensures that Mr. Cousins will be below center in 2023. Nevertheless, the over-all logic remains. The workforce would be wise to commence preparing for everyday living write-up-Kirk.

Not also lengthy back, I wrote about how the Vikings may perhaps see Cousins as a bridge QB in 2023. That purpose will mostly depend on how he performs in this upcoming year. The group should not be in a hurry to shift on if he, say, turns in a first-staff All Pro period. In contrast, the workforce should really be hunting to go on if he just repeats what he has been carrying out all these years: good stats and a .500 report.

The issue Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings want to be asking by themselves is how they program to handle the QB posture in the draft. The team’s hesitancy to sign legit corner and OL expertise leaves the roster with some gaping holes. The implication, then, is that the draft will be employed as a way to address these regions. For this motive, I see a RD1 QB as a small prospect.

Right after the opening spherical, it is anyone’s guess. The staff can not be thrilled about the prospect of obtaining Sean Mannion as the principal backup. Kellen Mond, additionally, appears to be raw. Neither encourage a ton of assurance, so opting for a single of this year’s most promising QBs is a risk. The major query truly rests in how early is way too early.