The Minnesota Vikings won the NFC North in 2022, after an impressive 13-4 regular season.
However, they were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, causing many to question the makeup of their team.
One player that routinely gets blamed for their shortcomings is Kirk Cousins, who is entering the final year of his contract.
In a recent episode of the Pat McAfee Show, Tom Pelissero commented on the Vikings’ quarterback situation.
“They were making calls about moving up very high in the draft”, Pelissero said.
Update: The #Vikings had made calls to NFL teams about trading up "very high" in 2023 Draft in attempts to get QB Bryce Young, per @TomPelissero
Ultimately the #Panthers took Young 1st overall so it didn't matter. But worth noting the Vikings had no interest in picking Will… pic.twitter.com/5NDqky4zZR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 10, 2023
As Pelissero indicated, the Vikings were interested in Bryce Young, who was ultimately drafted No. 1 overall.
He cited that the Vikings could have been in the market for a quarterback like Young, or Will Levis, allowing them to sit behind Cousins for a year.
This has worked well for several players in recent memory, with the latest success story being Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes sat behind Alex Smith for a season and was able to come in and start, finding immediate success.
NFL fans will see how that works out for the Green Bay Packers this season, as Jordan Love will replace Aaron Rodgers after sitting behind him for three seasons.
The Vikings will have a real chance to win the division again this year, given Rodgers’ absence from the Packers.
Will Cousins be enough to lead the Vikings to the playoffs again, looking for a deeper run?
Or, will the team regret their decision to not act on a high-caliber quarterback from this year’s draft class?
NEXT: Adam Thielen Gets Honest About Exit From Minnesota