The Minnesota Vikings are making serious moves, and the end game is almost certainly a rookie quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL draft.

Minnesota traded two second-round picks, including the No. 42 selection this year and their second-rounder in 2025, along with the No. 188 overall pick to the Houston Texans in return for the 23rd selection in April. The result is that the Vikings now hold the rights to pick Nos. 11 and 23 in the first round, which positions them well to move up — potentially into the top 5 — and draft a QB this year.

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report authored a trade pitch on Friday, March 15, in which the Vikings flip the two first-rounders to move up for former Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings plan to trade up for a quarterback. … They could trade up to get into the top 10 and potentially select McCarthy or whichever quarterback remains available.

An immediate solution through the draft is in the franchise’s best interests, so the rookie quarterback can grow with the 24-year-old Jefferson over time.

The Vikings were already sitting in front of the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders in the current draft order. Their trade with the Texans on Friday makes them the best-positioned among the quarterback-starved teams to come away with McCarthy.

Chargers at Pick No. 5 Most Likely Trade Partner for Vikings

There is an outside chance that the Vikings use picks 11 and 23 to make a deal with the New England Patriots, who select at No. 3, though that now appears unlikely.

The Pats traded Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars and added Jacoby Brissett on a one-year, $8 million deal in free agency. Brissett reads like an obvious bridge starter to a quality rookie prospect, who New England can find easily with the third pick.

The Chicago Bears are poised to select Caleb Williams first overall, while the Washington Commanders appear set to take their quarterback of choice at No. 2 after trading starter Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks. The Arizona Cardinals are in line to draft a generational wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth pick, which leaves the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5 as the most likely trade partner for the Vikings.

Los Angeles isn’t in rebuild mode with Justin Herbert under center, but the team is in reset mode after trading wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Bears for a fourth-round pick Thursday, cutting wideout Mike Williams and letting running back Austin Ekeler leave for Washington in free agency.

The Chargers’ precarious financial situation led to those moves, and the need to fill important positions on both sides of the football with young, inexpensive talent renders L.A. a prime candidate to move off the No. 5 pick for the Vikings’ selections at 11 and 23.

J.J. McCarthy Most Likely Top QB Prospect Still on Draft Board at Pick No. 5

With Williams almost certain to come off the board at No. 1 and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels a near lock to go either second or third, McCarthy makes the most sense as Minnesota’s target. Of course, it is possible McCarthy could go in the top three, in which case the Vikings would most likely select Drake Maye of UNC or Bo Nix of Oregon.

But based on the most recent mocks from top draft analysts, namely Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates of ESPN, McCarthy will be the fourth QB off the board. After the Vikings trade with Texans Friday, Yates directly predicted Minnesota will move up to No. 5 and draft McCarthy.

“With quarterbacks coming off the board quickly, I have the Vikings sending pick Nos. 11 and 23, along with a 2025 first-rounder, to the Chargers for this No. 5 selection,” Yates wrote. “Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins to the [Atlanta] Falcons in free agency and signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal this week. … McCarthy is widely viewed as the fourth-best QB in this class and was sixth in completion percentage last season at Michigan (72.3%). A new era for the Vikings arrives.”

McCarthy is also a winner, leading the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons, including to a National Championship following the 2023 campaign.