NFL insider insinuates Vikings and Raiders would only trade up for this QB

The Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders both need help in the QB room. Both teams landed veteran free agents — Sam Darnold and Gardner Minshew, respectively — and both, in theory, have upstart rookies. But, at the end of the day, it's unwise to hitch your franchise to Jaren Hall or Aidan O'Connell. Or Sam Darnold or Gardner Minshew, for that matter.

Unfortunately, neither team is positioned to land a top QB on draft night. The Vikings sit at No. 11 and No. 23 in the first round of April's NFL Draft. The No. 13 pick belongs to Las Vegas. The general expectation is that Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels will be the first three names off the board, with J.J. McCarthy also in the mix as a probable top-10 pick.

It will take a trade up for either team to get "their guy." Other quality QB prospects exist. Heck, you could probably get away with burning a mid-first-round pick on Michael Penix. But, if the Vikings or Raiders want a surefire starter, it's time to explore the pathways to moving up — probably into the top-3.

That said, both teams appear to have zeroed in on one prospect in particular. With Caleb Williams all but guaranteed to land in Chicago with the No. 1 pick, NFL insider Dan Graziano believes Jayden Daniels is the object of affection for Minnesota and Las Vegas.

"If Washington takes Jayden Daniels [at No. 2], that might make the Vikings or the Raiders less motivated to go up if Daniels is the guy they like over Drake Maye. If Washington takes Maye, and the Vikings and Raiders both want Daniels, all of a sudden that Patriots pick at No. 3 becomes very valuable."

Vikings, Raiders could prefer Jayden Daniels in NFL Draft trade scenario

Maybe Graziano is simply speaking in hypothetical terms, but he strongly hints at Daniels being the main source of QB interest for Minnesota and Las Vegas. Either way, Graziano's general logic should hold true. Neither team is going to move up just to land a QB. They will move up to land a QB they believe is worth the (hefty) price required to trade up.

If the Commanders settle on Daniels at No. 2 — which is the expected outcome these days — that could prevent a major shake-up near the top of the draft board. That said, it's worth noting the specifics of each situation.

The Raiders hired former Bears OC Luke Getsy, who is used to a dual-threat QB in Justin Fields. Minnesota, however, is moving on from Kirk Cousins. The Raiders' interest in Daniels dates back to Antonio Pierce's time at Arizona State, where he developed a relationship with the future Heisman winner. Minnesota? Well, frankly, the Vikings look like a great spot for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy, at least on paper.

Those are factors to consider. Minnesota has a more hospitable scheme and roster for the traditional pocket passers near the top of the board. Daniels' ability to stretch defenses outside the pocket is a major asset, but if we're comparing which team needs that skill more, it's probably Las Vegas.

In the end, we can safely assume that Minnesota and Las Vegas will both explore various options leading up to April's draft. Both teams have stopgap options on the roster, but entering the 2024 season without a long-term answer to the QB conundrum would qualify as a definite risk, maybe even an outright mistake.