When it comes to the National Football League Scouting Combine, the workouts are given most of the attention by fans and the media. What really matters is the discussions that happen behind closed doors.

That is no different for the Minnesota Vikings, as they have met with multiple players across the entire week. You only get a certain amount of players to interview due to the time constraints, so teams will often prioritize meeting with players they couldn’t meet with at an all-star game.

They have reportedly met with multiple top prospects across the board, including one that will shock you.

Vikings meet with Cam Ward at the combine

There have been multiple reported meetings at the NFL Scouting Combine for the Vikings, most of which have made complete sense as NFL Draft targets. The latest one from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler raises a lot of eyebrows, as he reports they have interviewed Miami (FL) quarterback Cam Ward.

Yes, the projected top three pick Ward.

Why would the Vikings choose to interview Ward with one of their few combine interviews? They just selected a quarterback at 10th overall in J.J. McCarthy and have a major decision to make with Sam Darnold and the franchise tag. They also don’t have the draft capital to go up and get him with just four projected draft picks once the compensatory selections get announced.

When you consider all of that, it’s a shock that the Vikings would have interviewed Ward. However, the meeting likely wasn’t about Ward. It was probably about some of his teammates.

There are multiple Miami (FL) Hurricanes who could be draft targets for the Vikings on the offensive side of the football. Offensive lineman Jalen Rivers, running back Damien Martinez, wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, and tight end Elijah Arroyo all fit the bill. None of them are first-round prospects, but could theoretically all be available when the Vikings pick with their third-round compensatory selection.

Meeting with Ward sure is curious, but it’s not because they want to take him in the first round.