Ranking 5 best Vikings Kirk Cousins replacements if he signs with Falcons

2. Vikings can trade up (?) for Michigan champ J.J. McCarthy

For a while, J.J. McCarthy to the Vikings at No. 11 felt like a safe, very reasonable projection. Now... it's all up in the air. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. recently said McCarthy and Drake Maye is a "battle" for QB3 behind Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. That means McCarthy could conceivably come off the board as high as the New England Patriots at No. 3 overall.

Even if the Pats ultimately side with Maye, there's a chance the Vikings would need to move up to draft McCarthy. The value of dispensing multiple high-value picks to land McCarthy instead of a less coveted rookie QB is up for debate. Michael Penix tested well at the Combine, Bo Nix was a proper stud at Oregon, and Spencer Rattler is a popular upside target. McCarthy was excellent at Michigan, but he didn't have the same freedom as his draft peers. The Wolverines' never opened up the full playbook for McCarthy, opting to focus on the run game instead.

That said, McCarthy does possess desirable athletic traits at the position and he has an undeniable track record of winning. He took Michigan to the mountaintop, completing 72.3 percent of his passes for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 15 starts. Michigan weathered a storm of controversy last season, with McCarthy's leadership — on and off the field — radiating throughout it all.

It's not hard to understand the appeal, even if a top-10 pick feels like a stretch. McCarthy could thrive in a more robust offense, or he could fall apart. We won't know until it happens. Thankfully, Kevin O'Connell is one of the best possible coaches when it comes to maximizing arm talent and setting up his QB for success. Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson won't hurt either.