A Vikings-Patriots trade involving Justin Jefferson and Jayden Daniels

The Minnesota Vikings watched Kirk Cousins leave for the Atlanta Falcons, then signed Sam Darnold. That is a huge downgrade, no matter how brilliant Kevin O'Connell is. Scheme can only take you so far.

As the Vikings undergo foundational changes, Justin Jefferson is due for a historic extension. The fifth-year receiver out of LSU is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The expectation is that Jefferson will eventually sign a new contract that makes him the highest-paid WR in the NFL. He has certainly earned that level of investment.

But, with the Vikings potentially pivoting toward a rebuild, it might not make sense for the front office to tie up so many resources in one receiver. Jefferson will elevate whichever QB the Vikings put under center, but his impact has its limits. He can't do anything if the QB doesn't deliver the football. Darnold has four-plus years of starting experience under his belt, but the former No. 3 pick was never all that successful.

One could make the case for trading Jefferson. The return would be massive — potentially enough to land Minnesota its QB of the future. Even if Darnold is momentarily cemented as QB1, the Vikings are expected to target a rookie QB in the draft. Currently equipped with the No. 11 pick and more than enough ammo to trade up, the Vikings are regularly connected to names like Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy.

What if the Vikings take it one step further, instead negotiating a trade with the New England Patriots for the No. 3 pick? That could very well land LSU's Jayden Daniels, assuming the Washington Commanders opt for one of the more traditional pocket passers at No. 2.

What would such a deal look like? Well, the quickest way to get New England on the phone is to offer the best WR in football.

Potential Vikings-Patriots trade centered on Justin Jefferson and Jayden Daniels

This is a fairly straightforward concept. The Patriots and Vikings swap No. 3 and No. 11, sending Jefferson (on an expiring contract) to New England while the Vikings receive a future second-round pick to sweeten the pot. Even with his precarious contract situation, Jefferson should fetch a premium price via trade. He's simply too good to part with for less than max value.

With this trade, the Vikings (presumably) land Daniels and officially start from scratch. The Commanders could ruin these plans by selecting Daniels, but the Vikings can justify a similarly bold trade for Drake Maye. Some would argue that Maye is the better prospect.

Either way, it's a huge gamble from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Minnesota front office. Rookie QBs are hardly guaranteed stars. Daniels has a ton of natural talent, but his arm strength pales in comparison to other top prospects at his position. He offsets those concerns with accuracy, mobility, and incredible poise, but what if Daniels flops? The NFL is a different beast. There's little hope for Minnesota to recover from this trade if it goes south.

For the Patriots, it's a chance to move down and select a "lesser" QB prospect. Maybe New England trades back up to land J.J. McCarthy, or maybe the new-look front office simply settles for Michael Penix. Either way, that QB gets paired with Justin Jefferson, who salvages the worst WR room in the NFL. The Patriots would need to pay Jefferson, but that's the easiest pill ever swallowed.

New England hasn't done enough in free agency to inspire much confidence in the offense. At least in Minnesota, Jefferson is surrounded by other top-shelf talent like T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison. It's far more dire in New England, but that could be exactly what inspires the trade. If the Patriots get desperate for a quick fix in the PBB Era (Post-Bill Belichick), Jefferson is quite possibly available for the right price.

This is only a framework. Minnesota could very well require an ever greater haul to part with its best player. Should the Patriots make this deal? Yes, of course. You take Justin Jefferson when he's offered. But, the front office would face immediate pressure to upgrade the roster and put a winning team around Jefferson.

Jacoby Brissett is a solid bridge QB, but New England should be weary about accelerating the timeline too quickly.