Kevin O’Connell Wants Us to Believe Vikings Aren’t Sold on Trading Up for QB

Ty: “It seems like you’re one of those guys who, you think you can get the best out of whoever you’re going to be coaching. Is it difficult, and again, this is just speculation; we don’t know if you’re gonna take a quarterback. How hard is it, though, when you’re looking at these different guys, not to like kind of fall in love with each one of them; and be like, ‘ohh there’s stuff there that I’d be really excited to coach’. Is it difficult kinda taking that hat off and being like, ‘OK well, this guy would clearly be the best for what my vision is with the offense’?

KOC: Well, I think it’s important that if you end up falling in love with multiple quarterbacks in the draft, that’s an even better thing, especially when you you know you did something like we did to acquire pick 23, really for the flexibility of what we think is a really good draft.

You know, everybody’s making a big a big point about the quarterback position and I think that’s real. Very deep draft and there could be a scenario where the first defensive player, AJ as you know, normally that guy’s coming off the board in the top-5, top-4 picks. That might happen 8-9-10, maybe 11 [in this draft].”

Pat McAfee Show

The Vikings aren’t trying to convince teams that they won’t jump up and grab a quarterback, if the deal is right. In fact, quite the opposite. But clearly, one of the narratives they wanted to set straight, coming into this week’s NFL league meetings, was this idea that they are willing to do whatever it takes to move up into the top-5.

He notes what a lot of draft experts have already said. That this year’s draft will have defensive players fall out of the top-10 who would normally be top-5 picks in a draft that was so ballyhooed at both quarterback and wide receiver.

That’s an impactful player you’ve got an opportunity to select that maybe in other drafts, without a kind of a quarterback class like this, and receivers for that matter, you’re looking at, you know, another team drafting that guy before you ever have a chance.

So I think the ability to improve our team with those two picks no matter how it ends up happening; if it’s a package or a bundle, like we like to call it, to go get one guy that, we say, changes our organization for the future. Or, you know, are we in a position where we’re adding a couple players to our team that have chances to be long term impact starters for us.

Kevin O’Connell – Pat McAfee Show

“Flexibility” is KOC’s word of the day

It wasn’t just with McAfee that KOC was pushing his “flexibility” propaganda. He did the same thing earlier in the day with Paul Allen. In fact, if you’ve listened to all of his interviews today, he starts to sound like somewhat of a broken record.

Again, the Vikings had a very “intentional” plan today, when Kevin arrived at the meeting room in the hotel for a big day of meetings with media. Does that mean he doesn’t mean what he is saying? That it’s impossible they stand pat or move back instead of “bundling” to move up on April 25?

I find it unlikely, but it’s worth noting that there has been some undercurrent steam in recent days that has the Vikings possibly interested in a Kyler Murray plan-B, should the top of the draft not play out like they are hoping. They’ve also been quietly linked to Bo Nix the last couple days too.

Again, we are all being used as part of the game these teams are playing right now, as they try to position themselves in the best spots, both physically and mentally, as possible leading up to the draft.