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2022 NFL Mock Draft: Buccaneers replace Tom Brady with sleeper QB

By Randy Gurzi

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: Desmond Ridder #9 of the Cincinnati Bearcats drops back to pass during the first half of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: Desmond Ridder #9 of the Cincinnati Bearcats drops back to pass during the first half of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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2022 NFL Mock Draft
2022 NFL mock draft; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) looks to pass in the first quarter of the ACC championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

60. Scouting Report. Kenny Pickett. player. 12. Pick Analysis. QB. Pitt

12. Minnesota Vikings: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt

One quarterback is followed by another. The Minnesota Vikings have quite the dilemma on their hands entering the 2022 season. Kirk Cousins is scheduled to count $45 million against the salary cap and they’re estimated by OverTheCap.com to be $14.5 million above the limit.

Chances are, unless new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is high on Cousins, he’s going to be moved. And while he’s been a good quarterback for them, this would probably be the right decision since Cousins has been unable to put them over the top and he’s not exactly young anymore at 33-years of age (and he will be 34 when the season kicks off).

With all that being said, the Vikings do have Kellen Mond under contract but we don’t know yet if he’s ready. For that reason, they add more talent to the room with Kenny Pickett from Pitt.

Pickett was a fifth-year senior and took off in 2021 with 4,319 yards and a 42-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. As impressive as he was this past year, there will be concerns since he was really a one-year wonder who never threw more than 13 touchdowns in a season before his breakout campaign.

Having said that, he still showed off everything a team looks for in a quarterback during his final season and it should be enough to get him selected in Round 1. Whether or not he becomes a starter at the next level, however, will be up to him.

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