Vikings gain additional first-round draft pick in trade with Texans

The Minnesota Vikings’ front office continues to navigate an important offseason. The team finished the 2023 season with seven wins, and franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins departed in free agency. 

Star wide receiver Justin Jefferson missed seven games last season due to injury and is in line for a major payday. Next month’s NFL Draft will shape the franchise’s future.

On Friday, the Vikings agreed to a trade with the Houston Texans, giving Minnesota some additional draft capital. The Vikings received the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of this year’s draft.

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A detailed view of a Minnesota Vikings helmet on the sidelines before a game against the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field Nov. 6, 2022, in Landover, Md. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Minnesota already had the No. 11 pick. The Vikings also picked up a seventh-round pick in the trade. 

The Texans received a second rounder, No. 42 overall pick, in return. Houston also picked up a sixth rounder and a second-round pick in 2025, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.

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The intriguing move by the Vikings is reminiscent of the Philadelphia Eagles’ approach to the 2016 draft. The Eagles were eager to find a solution to their deficiencies at quarterback and traded up from the 13th spot to second overall. 

Player introductions before a game between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium Dec. 24, 2023, in Minneapolis.  (Getty Images)

It did take a couple of trades to move up, with the Eagles initially swapping places with the Dolphins to move into the eighth overall spot. Philadelphia then packaged picks to acquire the No. 2 overall pick, which they used to select quarterback Carson Wentz. 

The Vikings could package multiple picks to make a significant jump in the draft and pursue one of the top quarterback prospects. Former USC standout Caleb Williams, former North Carolina signal-caller Drake Maye and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels are widely considered the top three quarterback prospects in April’s draft.

An NFL logo on the back of a Minnesota Vikings helmet during a game between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings Dec. 20, 2021, at Soldier Field in Chicago.  (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Vikings signed Sam Darnold, the third overall selection in the 2019 draft, shortly after Cousins inked a lucrative four-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

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As of now, Darnold will be the Vikings’ starting quarterback in 2024. But given he only signed a short-term deal and has not had much success in multiple stints as a starter, he is likely viewed as a bridge quarterback.

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