Should Commanders Take 2 1st-Round Draft Picks in Vikings Trade For QB Drake Maye?

Could the Vikings' latest move indicate that it's trying to trade up with the Commanders and draft quarterback Drake Maye?

The Minnesota Vikings were one of the big losers of free agency when the team lost quarterback Kirk Cousins, but could the team trade up with the Washington Commanders to take a new quarterback?

Minnesota just acquired the No. 23 pick from the Houston Texans, so the team now has more draft capital than ever to trade up for the Commanders' No. 2 overall pick. Let's explore what a trade package would look like if the team moved up to take Drake Maye.

The Minnesota Vikings are rumored to be interested in trading up with the Washington Commanders to select Drake Maye / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Currently, the Vikings hold the No. 11 overall pick and the No. 23 pick in this year's draft, which presumably was acquired so that the team can make a move up for a quarterback and keep superstar receiver Justin Jefferson happy and in Minnesota long-term.

Maye would make sense because the coaching staff is familiar with him. The Vikings' new quarterbacks coach, Josh McCown, coached him in high school and could have enough say to influence a reunion, considering that the current veteran on the roster is Sam Darnold, another of his former players.

In last year's draft, the Chicago Bears moved up from No. 9 overall. Chicago gave the Carolina Panthers its 2023 first-rounder (No. 9), 2023 second-rounder (No. 61), 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall), 2025 second-rounder, and its No. 1 receiver, D.J. Moore, in his prime.

Hypothetically, this trade would cost the Vikings both its 2024 first-rounders (Nos. 11 and 23), a 2024 fourth-rounder (No. 129), and its 2025 third-rounder. 

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This deal could make a lot of sense for both parties because it gives Washington a good return with picks this year to help general manager Adam Peters rebuild this roster so that head coach Dan Quinn can help it contend as fast as possible. 

Time will tell if the Commanders prove willing to move back, but as of now, it certainly looks like Minnesota would be an ideal trade partner if the front office decides to do so.