The Minnesota Vikings sent a flare into the NFL skies when they acquired a second first-round pick from the Houston Texans. After nearly 50 years of using patchwork solutions at quarterback, the Vikings were serious about finding a franchise QB.
Many expect the Vikings to trade up to get their quarterback of the future, but some are still terrified of what that future could look like after letting Kirk Cousins leave for the Atlanta Falcons. It’s a great unknown that has paralyzed ownership and front office personnel. Still, there’s also a chance it may not be so bad.
The Texans are a great example. They’ve found their quarterback and are reaping the benefits this offseason. With several big moves, Houston has gone from an irrelevant franchise to one that could contend in the AFC. It’s a blueprint for the Vikings to find their way out of mediocrity.
Three years ago, the Texans were in deep trouble. Deshaun Watson had asked for a trade out of Houston. J.J. Watt had just retired, Bill O’Brien’s “total control” era failed, and former team chaplain Jack Easterby was running the franchise. Things weren’t going well until they traded Watson to the Cleveland Browns.
The deal netted Houston first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, a third-round pick in 2023, and fourth-round picks in 2024. The Texans used their two picks in 2022 on guard Kenyon Green and running back Dameon Pierce. Houston used the 2023 picks in trades to acquire edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and wide receiver Tank Dell.
Green made 14 starts and allowed only four sacks on 823 offensive snaps during his rookie season. However, he missed the 2023 season due to an injury. Pierce was Houston’s starting running back in 2022 before taking a backseat to Devin Singletary in 2023. Dell also had a solid rookie year with 47 passes, 709 yards, and seven touchdowns before breaking his leg. Still, the main prize may have been Anderson.
Anderson was a crucial part of Houston’s defense, collecting seven sacks and 68 pressures last season. With Anderson in the fold, DeMeco Ryans could get the most out of his team, which included Vikings free-agent acquisitions Jonathan Greenard and Blake Cashman. He helped the Texans win the AFC South and advance to the divisional round.
While the Watson trade helped the Texans turn things around, so did hitting on a quarterback. The Texans infamously tanked the 2022 season and landed a high pick they used to select C.J. Stroud with the second-overall pick. Arguably the best quarterback in the class, Stroud was the catalyst for Houston’s revival, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions during his rookie season.
The performance finally gave the Texans “their guy,” leading them into the rookie quarterback window. Like Indiana Jones finding a mystical stone in The Temple of Doom, many general managers have chased the rookie quarterback window. However, few have reaped the benefits.
In this case, the Texans escaped the death traps and rolling boulders to find their guy and reap the benefits this offseason.
With ample cap space, the Texans made a free-agent splash by signing Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract and backing it up by trading for Joe Mixon. A few days later, the Texans used the 2024 first-rounder in the Watson deal and traded it to Minnesota for the 42nd overall pick, which was used to acquire Stefon Diggs earlier this week.
What started with an offseason splash turned into a full-blown tsunami for Texans fans. It could show Vikings fans what they’ve been missing. For years, fans have screamed that you should be careful what you wish for regarding Cousins’ pending free agency. But Cousins’ absence opens a world of possibilities.
A trade to get a quarterback could be pricey, considering the Vikings don’t have the draft capital that Houston did when they moved up for Anderson. However, Minnesota also has many pieces in place that Houston didn’t have when they began their ascent.
Minnesota already has a strong receiving core with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson. They also have bookend offensive tackles with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
The Vikings still need to build their defense. However, they’ve already reaped the benefits of Cousins’ departure by signing Greenard, Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Aaron Jones in free agency.
With $102.4 million in projected cap space for 2025, Minnesota is a destination spot for a quarterback, similar to how the Texans ended up being a perfect fit for Stroud. Adding Mixon and Diggs can only make them stronger, and the Vikings could make similar moves to beef up their defense a year from now.
That assumes Minnesota will finally hit on a quarterback, but it’s a more promising future than the one it had a couple of months ago. If they find their guy in the draft, the Vikings could make a turnaround as quickly as the Texans did and finally regain their status as contenders in the NFC.
