Justin Fields Rumors: Vikings Were Set to Draft QB at No. 14 Before Bears' Pick

The Minnesota Vikings landed a quarterback in the NFL draft, though not the one they had their eyes on.

According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, the Vikings were readying to draft Ohio State's Justin Fields with their first-round selection at No. 14 overall before the Chicago Bears traded up to take him at No. 11. 

Instead, they landed Kellen Mond in the third round at No. 66 overall. 

Mond going at No. 66 marked the highest pick the Vikings have used on a quarterback since adding Teddy Bridgewater in 2014. He'll slot in behind Kirk Cousins on the depth chart, but with the 32-year-old set to earn $56 million over the next two seasons, there's an opportunity for Mond to take over after he develops. 

Things could have been different if Fields were the one to join the team, as he's a clear option to immediately slot in at starter, even though the Bears have maintained that their offseason acquisition, Andy Dalton, is QB1. 

Cousins was informed that the team was considering taking a quarterback, and the team attempted to trade up from No. 14 overall, according to Cronin. The team was also considering Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, Cronin said. 

While Fields would have pretty much guaranteed that Cousins would be on his way out after his current deal, drafting Mond still gives them options down the road.