End The Quarterback Search!

The Minnesota Vikings must find their quarterback of the future in this draft. They cut the six-year tie to Kirk Cousins in March. They signed Sam Darnold to a one-year, place-holder deal. They hold the 11th pick in a draft that’s topped by four, maybe two more, talented quarterbacks. They added a second first-round pick through a trade with the Houston Texans. Armed with the 11th and 23rd pick, the Vikings have the draft capital, and the apparent willingness to use it, to trade to the top of the draft. 

Since Fran Tarkenton retired in 1978, the Minnesota Vikings have been searching for their next franchise quarterback. There’s been a long line of contenders. Tommy Kramer was the first. He was selected in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft. He was drafted to replace Tarkenton. At times, Kramer was a brilliant, thrilling gunslinger. Unfortunately, injuries peppered his entire career. Over 13 seasons in Minnesota, he played every game only once. The 1990s were mostly successful. The Vikings were playoff contenders but the decade was a revolving door of older quarterbacks. Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, and Randall Cunningham. A young Rich Gannon was shipped out of town before he even really had a chance. In 1999, the Vikings thought that they had finally drafted their franchise quarterback. Daunte Culpepper appeared to be on his way until a knee injury ruined his run in 2005. In 2014, the Vikings took another first-round swing at a quarterback with Teddy Bridgewater. After a promising 2015 season, his knee exploded on the eve of the 2016 season. Since 1978, the quarterback search has been filled with misses, old guys, and injury-ravaged potential. It’s been a long, rough search.

This year might be the best opportunity of my lifetime for the Vikings to finally end this decades-long quarterback search. They are close enough to the top of a talented quarterback draft. They have the draft capital to get even closer to the top of the draft. They just need to find a trade partner. The Vikings also have the infrastructure in place for a young quarterback to thrive. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is a former NFL quarterback and emerging play-caller. Newly hired quarterbacks coach Josh McCown is also a former NFL quarterback and promising young coach. A rookie quarterback will be surrounded by coaching assets. O’Connell, McCown, Wes Phillips, Chris O’Hara, and Grant Udinski will be tasked with getting the quarterback ready. The Vikings offense is loaded with playmakers. Justin Jefferson is the best receiver in the league. T.J. Hockenson is one of the best tight ends in the league. Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, Ty Chandler, Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt. The Vikings have outstanding offensive tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. With Sam Darnold, there is really no rush to the field. From coaches to players, a rookie quarterback couldn’t land in a better environment. 

With everything in place, the Vikings must find their quarterback. Personally, I hope that they trade up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy, perhaps Jayden Daniels. It takes two to trade. Now, I’m at the point where no price is too high to trade. The Vikings might not see it that way. If they can’t make that trade up, I do like Michael Penix Jr., perhaps Bo Nix as well, later in the first round. The most important thing is that I trust Kevin O’Connell and the coaches to know and recognize what they want in their quarterback. I will have faith in them and whichever quarterback they pick. The only thing that I demand is that they find him and draft him. End the quarterback search. It’s gone on for too damn long.