But the Lions aren’t nearly as desperate for a victory Sunday as the Vikings, who will start redshirt rookie JJ McCarthy for the first time since week two and just the third time of his NFL career. At 3-4, a loss could all but mathematically eliminate Minnesota from the NFC playoff picture.

Even after the NFL postseason expanded to three wild card teams a few years ago, it’s extremely possible that all NFC wild card teams in 2025-26 will reach at least 10 regular season wins. If they lose today in Detroit, the MN Vikings would have to go 7-2 against the remainder of their schedule to reach a 10-7 final record.

And even if a season turnaround like that is realistic, it’ll be difficult for Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to operate on Monday and Tuesday, in the hours leading up the NFL Trade Deadline, as if his team is expecting to make the postseason.

Minnesota Vikings looking for QB help at NFL Trade Deadline?

Still, at least for now, it doesn’t sound like the Minnesota Vikings have any plans to act as sellers, prior to the deadline buzzer going off at 3 p.m. CST on November 4.

In fact, according to Adam Schefter (ESPN), they are still in the market for a veteran quarterback who can make the coaching staff feel more comfortable about who is in the QB room with JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer.

The Vikings did not want to head into this season without an experienced veteran backup quarterback…If that was Minnesota’s thought process before the season, sources believe it would be the same now, with the Vikings still needing an experienced veteran backup quarterback for J.J. McCarthy.

League sources believe Minnesota still could make a move for a quarterback by Tuesday’s deadline.

Adam Schefter – ESPN

Related: JJ McCarthy and Sam Darnold Didn’t Get Along in Minnesota?

This is mildly surprising, because of how late it is in the season. Sure, bringing in a quarterback over the age of 25 isn’t a bad idea. Afterall, JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer have combined to throw just 49 passes in their young NFL careers.

But where are the MN Vikings going to find a QB who they can integrate into the offense seamlessly, with just half of the 2025 regular season remaining? Are they that afraid of playing Max Brosmer, and if so… why?

What QBs could the Vikings be interested in?

We just watched five games of Carson Wentz attempting to operate an offense he has no business playing in, and the results were a complete train wreck. If nothing else, Brosmer knows the offense, will play fast and hit open receivers, three things that Wentz struggled with.

And I am NOT convinced that any of the veteran quarterbacks mentioned by Schefter as possible options for the Minnesota Vikings — Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston — would do it better than Brosmer, given the situation they’d be coming into.

Kirk Cousins would make sense, but the Falcons haven’t shown any willingness to trade him, and Atlanta needs an experienced veteran backup of its own. The Giants also have two experienced backups in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.

Adam Schefter – ESPN

Related: New Name Added to “Official” Vikings Injury Report, but Don’t Tell KOC

Nope, it’s Darnold or bust for the 2024 Minnesota Vikings. And one former NFL general manager, Mike Tannenbaum, thinks that is a DangeRUSS idea. That’s why, on Wednesday morning’s episode of “Get Up” (ESPN), he urged Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to swing a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for… Russell Wilson

.@realtannenbaum thinks the Steelers should trade Russell Wilson to the Vikings and sign Ryan Tannehill 😯

“A win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he’s a better quarterback than Sam Darnold. They certainly can battle it out.” pic.twitter.com/wfpAkerqlt

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 21, 2024

“Unfortunately for Minnesota history is repeating itself. We go back to 2016, Teddy Bridgewater had a catastrophic injury at practice. Sam Bradford gets traded from the Eagles to the Vikings. So to me, I think a win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he’s a better quarterback than Sam Darnold. They certainly can battle it out.”

Mike Tannenbaum on Get Up discussing a Vikings trade for Russell Wilson

Does Russell Wilson to the Minnesota Vikings make sense?

There is no denying that the former Super Bowl champion, and nine-time Pro Bowl selection has been a better quarterback than Darnold. The significant question is whether Russell Wilson is currently better than what Kevin O’Connell believes Darnold can be.

Related: Sam Darnold Struggles at Vikings’ Night Practice

Tannenbaum also seems to be comparing unlike scenarios. The 2024 Vikings are nowhere near the same place that the 2016 outfit was, and the staff is drastically different.

At some point McCarthy may have taken over for Darnold in 2024. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t projected to be a contender this season, and they don’t need to operate in a reactionary way.

Vikings don’t need Mr. Unlimited

Wilson hasn’t led a team to a winning record since 2020, and he has been largely mediocre since. It would be foolish to act as though he is a substantial upgrade, and part with assets to get him.

When they ask u somethin'… tell 'em ur….. #UNLIMITED pic.twitter.com/832yylOTjy

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) May 19, 2018

This isn’t the first time that the Minnesota Vikings have been suggested as a landing spot for Mr. Unlimited. It might be better off if it was the last time though. Wilson coming in would also bring a number of chemistry questions to the locker room.

DangerRUSS tends to drive intense levels of cringe factor in nearly everything he does. A level of cringe that many, teammates included, cannot stomach. At this point in Russell Wilson’s career, he is not better than Sam Darnold in, really, any way.

Sam Darnold >>>> DangeRUSS

And there’s absolutely no chance the 35-year-old could come in and learn Kevin O’Connell’s system fast enough to challenge for QB1 by week one. Remember, Russ was at his best when he was the “break glass in case of emergency” option in a Seattle Seahawks offense carried by prime Marshawn Lynch.

In other words, Mike Tannenbaum needs to revisit the morning take trade machine after another cup of coffee, next time. If Kwesi is determined to add behind Darnold, then they could simply go after the free agent Tannenbaum mentions for the Steelers.

Related: Quarterback Options That Make Sense for the Minnesota Vikings

Ryan Tannehill doesn’t have a rapport with Kevin O’Connell, but he’d 100% be the better option over Mr. Unliiiiimitted. He’d be better than either Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall, too. Matt Corral isn’t making the 53-man roster, and the Vikings appear locked in on their quarterbacks.

Still, Tannehill is an option if they want to consider something less obtrusive than Wilson. The Vikings are closing in on Week 1, and we will soon see how Darnold fares out of the gate in his new environment.

Minnesota Vikings hoping Kirk Cousins offers them a discount

Those plugged into the situation were being told that Kirk was willing to settle for a yearly salary much closer to $30 million per season, as long as he got two fully-guaranteed years, rather than look elsewhere for something closer to the $50 million per season, which is much closer to what his market value would be in free agency.

Related: Kirk Cousins’ Achilles Recovery is Ahead of Schedule

Skeptics out there have questioned from the beginning whether or not the most business-savvy quarterback in NFL history would really take a discount to stay in purple. But then again, he’s a soon-to-be 36-year-old father of two young children, both of which have lived in Eagan, MN for their entire lives.

The rough estimates going around, on what Kirk might be willing to accept in his new deal, were two fully guaranteed years, at ~$35 million per season. Enough to make his agent and the NFLPA happy, but still a $10-$15 million discount off market value (AAV) for the Vikings.

As long as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah offered enough term and security to make him comfortable, it was believed the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins would work out the numbers in a way that could benefit everyone.

Cousins price tag up to $45 million per year?

But in his Sunday morning column, longtime newspaper insider in St. Paul (and former Minnesota Twins pitcher) Charley ‘Shooter’ Walters (Pioneer Press) says that’s no longer the case. According to Shooter, Kirk Cousins is now asking for 2 years, $45 million per, something neither Walters, nor I, can see the Vikings agreeing to. If Purdy struggles today in the NFC Championship, Charley believes the Niners could jump into the bidding war for Kirk too (Update: Brock Purdy and the Niners are playing in the Super Bowl two Sundays from now).

The buzz now is that it will take $90 million guaranteed for two years, despite that he’s still not yet fully recovered from Achilles surgery in November, to sign free agent QB Kirk Cousins. If that’s the case, he certainly won’t get that from the Vikings.

Meanwhile, if Brock Purdy falters Sunday against the Lions, Cousins’ admirer with the 49ers, coach Kyle Shanahan, could push for him.

Charley Walters – Pioneer Press

Related: Vikings Can Sign Cousins, Jefferson and Hunter with Room to Spare

Charley has earned his trust as a local insider many times over, but he’s had a miss or two lately and I hope he’s missed again here. Otherwise, I’m very concerned about where this organization goes next. Moving off of an elite QB in his mid-30’s is risky no matter what, but doing it without a succession plan in place takes that risk to dangerously high level.

Vikings turning focus to Russell Wilson…?

Shooter has a fix, he thinks. Russell Wilson. Now, Charley is very careful to word the Russell Wilson portion of his column in a different way than he did Cousins. Instead of reporting it as steam, he lays it out as his own education reasoning, based on what he believes the Vikings would want if they move on from Kirk, which is a serviceable bridge QB who can still feed the many hungry mouths of Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson and Jordan Addison.

It’s not far-fetched that the Vikings would consider, for financial reasons, Russell Wilson as their bridge QB next season if they draft a QB with their No. 11 pick in April. The Broncos are expected to cut Wilson, 35, who if he’s on the roster next March, his 2025 salary of $37 million becomes guaranteed. His $37 million deal for next season already is guaranteed by Denver.

But if the Vikings are interested in Wilson, his 2024 contract has a salary off-set, meaning he would cost only the NFL veteran minimum of $1.2 million with incentives. The Broncos would owe the rest. Bottom line: The Vikings can either pay Cousins $45 million next season or Wilson $1.2 million.

Charley Walters – Pioneer Press

Related: 3 Teams Have Better Projected Odds to Land Kirk Cousins Than Vikings

I will pushback a bit on that last sentence. The Vikings will pay a $28.5 million dead cap hit for Kirk Cousins next season, if he is not on roster after March 13. So while Russell Wilson would technically only cost $1.2 million, the salary cap would reflect $29.7 million being paid to the QB1 slot in 2024.

Still, Walters’ point stands. I have a feeling Minnesota’s front office would feel a lot more comfortable paying $30 million for their QB1 and focusing in on who they will draft come April as their quarterback of the future, than they would be paying Kirk Cousins $45 million per season, guaranteed for two years.

Only time will tell us what happens this offseason

Cousins has made ~$250 million in his career and that number will continue to go up, long after his NFL career is over. Of course, the values in these contracts come down to a lot more than what’s best for Kirk, his family and the Vikings.

The players union and player agents are always major voices in these negotiations too. If Cousins takes less money than what he is worth, that hurts every single QB in the league. In other words, what the large discounts Tom Brady used to give the Patriots are very much frowned upon, in league circles.

When you’re the GOAT, you do what you want. Kirk could too, but there’s a lot of pressure for the best players at each position to get as much as they can, and for good reason. It sets the bar higher for everybody else.

Nonetheless, I still thought Cousins’ drive to stick around Minnesota would be strong enough to offer a Brady-type discount to the Vikings. But money talks, so I’m not going to act like this news is shocking, should it wind up true.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Re-signing Kirk Cousins is Obvious Move for Vikings

There’s no doubt that, should Kirk finish his NFL career in Minnesota, he’d surely be a transplant resident for the foreseeable future, following retirement. Between appearances or TV day jobs, I can absolutely see Cousins busting into the head coach’s office at TCO Performance Center on random mid-season mornings a decade from now.

Freshest white New Balances on his feet, cup of coffee in one hand and newspaper in the other (yes theys still exist 20 years from now and Kirk still buys them), champing at the bit to discuss how top Star Tribune columnist, Ben Goessling, is trying to get him fired again.

But, I could see him taking $50 million per year somewhere else too.

While many are advocating for a Kirk Cousins contract extension, others are begging the Wilfs to tear it all down, even suggesting they trade Justin Jefferson. But one piece of offseason steam released by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, links Minnesota and… Russell Wilson.

Related: BR Predicts Vikings Blockbuster Trade Sends Justin Jefferson to Arizona

Russell Wilson to Minnesota Vikings?

League sources see several logical fits for Wilson, who could thrive in an offense that schemes clearly defined throws off play-action and the running game. Don’t be surprised if Wilson, should he become a free agent, is intrigued by Minnesota, assuming Kirk Cousins doesn’t re-sign with the Vikings (a big question). Kevin O’Connell comes from the Sean McVay passing tree that maximizes quarterback efficiency. Wilson would have plenty of weapons in a group that includes Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison.

Jeremy Fowler – ESPN

Russell Wilson is (probably) a future Hall of Famer and he’s been a nightmare for the Vikings, going 7-1 vs Minnesota during his career. But in prior to the 2022 season, Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos and paid a handsome some to be their franchise QB for the next handful of years.

Drama In Denver

Unfortunately, that’s not how things have played out. Since being traded to Denver and signing a five-year deal worth $242.6 million, Wilson has been a disaster, going 11-19 while looking like a shell of the elite QB he once was.

I can’t stand Russell Wilson but the Broncos are one of the most pathetic organizations in the league. Let’s not forget Sean Payton was suspended for A YEAR for awarding bonuses to his team to injure players. #Broncos are just sad. pic.twitter.com/ui9EYz46h0

— DC (@draftcheat) December 30, 2023

Worse yet for the Broncos: Unless he fails his physical, come March when the new league year begins, the $37 million Denver is scheduled to owe him in 2024 becomes guaranteed. But things have gotten so bad that it doesn’t appear the two sides will make it to that point.

Related: NFC Wildcard Round Proved Vikings Need to Bring Kirk Cousins Back

It’s widely believed Wilson will be released by the Broncos, which will trigger dad cap penalties never seen before in NFL salary cap history. Once that happens, Wilson will be free to sign with any team that has mutual interest in making him their starting quarterback. Cost won’t be a factor.

Mr. Unlimited is expected to sign on the cheap if he finds the right team, given how much he is making from the Broncos for not being their 2024 QB. This is where the Vikings come in, according to Fowler.

Russell Wilson wants Vikings, but…

But there is one sentence in Fowler’s report that is very important and tells us a lot about how the link between Wilson and the Vikings came to be: “Don’t be surprised if Wilson, should he become a free agent, is intrigued by Minnesota, assuming Kirk Cousins doesn’t re-sign with the Vikings (a big question)” .

I think it’s pretty clear Russell Wilson has his eyes set on the Vikings, should they move on from Kirk Cousins, not the other way around. Wilson wants to join a good team that would have good tools around him and a QB-thinking head coach, which is why the Vikings are one of the first teams on his list.

Related: Russell Wilson’s fit as next possible Vikings QB

If the Vikings were to move on from Kirk, but still want to bring in a veteran bridge QB, Wilson might make some sense. He’ll be cheap and available. Will that be enough to gain mutual intrigue from the Vikings front office? Probably not but I don’t blame him for trying.

Come March, according to Dianna Russini (The Athletic) the Broncos are expected to waive Wilson, choosing $85 million in cap penalties over having him on their roster.

Russell Wilson is expecting to be cut by the Denver Broncos in March, per league sources. For almost two months, the quarterback has been starting knowing the organization was most likely going to move on him from after this season.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) December 28, 2023

Related: TJ Hockenson Questionable to Return for Start of 2024 Vikings Season

So, media outlets across the internet are trying to figure out what is next for Wilson. It appears, he is still viewed as a starting quarterback in the league, even if he’s closer to the bottom of that list, than the middle or top.

Russell Wilson to the… Minnesota Vikings?

On Thursday morning, The Athletic made a list of four potential landing spots for a once-great quarterback who is on the RAPID decline… and guess who made the list? That’s right, your favorite football team, the Minnesota Vikings.

Why Wilson might be a fit: This feels like a Hail Mary of sorts, which, considering Wilson is the subject, seems fitting. The Vikings’ quarterback plans for 2024 are uncertain, as Kirk Cousins’ contract voids at the conclusion of the season and he is likely to have many suitors. If Cousins signs elsewhere, the Vikings could go after a high-end talent in the draft. In that situation, they’d likely sign a bridge quarterback to allow that youngster to develop. If he’s released, Wilson fits in that category alongside other mid- to lower-tier options.

Alec Lewis – The Athletic

If the Minnesota Vikings lose on Sunday night vs the Green Bay Packers, their chances of making the playoffs will quite literally be ‘slim to none’, depending on how the rest of the NFC games play out around them.

That means, while there still might be another week on the schedule, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and much of the fanbase will transition their football brains into offseason mode, should the Vikings fall vs the Packers.

Once that happens, whether this week, next week or after a miracle playoff run, the Vikings will finally be forced to address the contract monkey that’s been living at TCO Performance Center for at least a year.

Related: How Much Will Kirk Cousins Cost; Could Vikings Get Discount?

Will Kwesi & Co sign on for more Kirk Cousins or will they choose to shift franchise focus to the future by letting him walk in free agency? And if they do move on from Kirk, the Russell Wilsons of the NFL QB world are going to be the ‘bridge quarterbacks’ associated with Minnesota all offseason. That’s just reality.

Why Russell Wilson makes no sense for the Vikings

As Alec Lewis mentions in the ‘Why Wilson might not fit’ portion of his article, though, there are a lot of reasons Russell wouldn’t interest head coach Kevin O’Connell or most other decision makers in the organization.

It’s likely ‘Mr. Unlimited’ lands a contract next season near $20 million per year. Somebody will value him as an average NFL starting QB and that’s just the rate of doing business, these days. If the Vikings do, in fact, decide to move on from Kirk, they’ll be charged with a dead cap penalty of $28 million.

Why he might not: Cousins returning would immediately end this discussion. But even if he departs, it’s fair to wonder whether Wilson’s asking price would make sense. Garoppolo, for example, signed a three-year, $72.5 million contract with the Raiders in March. Wilson is older, but he’s also more accomplished. Say he wanted a two-year, $40 million deal. The Vikings, who would likely draft a QB in Cousins’ absence, would not be likely to pay that kind of money to a short-term answer.

Alec Lewis – The Athletic

Remember, if the Vikings bring Kirk Cousins back, they (essentially) do not have to pay the $28 million dead cap penalty. Thus, common sense says the Vikings would be much better off re-signing Cousins for, let’s just say, $35 million per season, than pay $48 million total ($20M for Wilson + $28M for Cousins cap penalty) and end up with Mr. Unlimited.

That’s why, between Justin Jefferson’s public calls for the Vikings to bring Kirk Cousins back on Wednesday, and the cap penalties they’d have to pay by letting Cousins go this offseason, I just can’t see a reality where Kirk is playing elsewhere in 2024 and Russell Wilson (or any other mediocre QB1 for that matter) is wearing purple and gold.

Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk.com) wrote a blog based on his interview with Denver Broncos general manager, George Paton, formerly a decade-long assistant GM for the Vikings. This offseason, in case you didn’t hear, Paton traded the Broncos’ future for Russell Wilson.

In his chat with Florio, George compared Wilson’s early presence and lift, inside the Denver locker room, to that of another free agent quarterback signed one memorable offseason while Paton was in Minnesota. Not 2018 Kirk Cousins, but 2009 Brett Favre.

Man, you Kirk haters just reach for any little thing you can possibly find. It’s sad, really. https://t.co/8T9lcPeVsv

— Jared Barsness (@JaredBarsNFL) May 9, 2022

Back in 2009, George Paton was the Vikings’ director of player personnel. He would get promoted to assistant GM in 2012, when his long-time friend and colleague, Rick Spielman, is named general manager (and undisputed top dog in the Vikings hierarchy). Paton was in Minnesota for Favre, McNabb, Ponder, Teddy, Keenum and Cousins. He saw it all.

No mention of Kirk Cousins

Florio was taken aback by Paton’s blatant disregard of Kirk Cousins’ locker room presence. But why? Are we surprised that Cousins didn’t immediately lift the Minnesota Vikings locker room in the same way Brett Favre once did? I mean… that isn’t news.

We’ve heard all the stories of Favre’s arrival in Minneapolis and how quickly his teammates bought into and trusted his leadership. From locker room shenanigans to in-huddle dominance, Favre was the ultimate teammate. He was the type of leader who doesn’t come around often. That’s part of why he owns a Super Bowl and multiple league MVP’s.

Kirk Cousins, on the other hand, has NEVER had that type of intangible reputation. It’s been well-documented that he struggles to grab control of a locker room in the way many great QB’s have. Hell, his voice cracks when he tries to talk to loud.

Remember when Kyle Rudolph wrote a manifesto about his time in Minnesota, thanking just about everyone ever involved with the franchise? Thousands of words and not one mention Kirk Cousins, who played QB and threw him footballs nearly half of his career with the Vikings.

Kyle Rudolph wrote a 2,000-word farewell article — a very good one, I might add — thanking several people in the Vikings organization, former teammates & QBs (including Matt Cassel!)… but he didn’t mention Kirk Cousins.

I found it interesting. Nothing more, just… interesting

— Phil Mackey ???? (@PhilMackey) March 3, 2021

Kirk is who we know he is

Whether Florio wants to admit it or not, we knew who Kirk Cousins was long before Mr. PFT chatted with George Paton over the weekend. He isn’t Brett Favre and he may not even be Russell Wilson. Kirk’s a capable pocket passer who can look really good if you give him consistent time in the pocket. Want a confident locker room leader? Find someone else.

Under Kevin O’Connell, Kirk could very well take another step forward, much like Matt Stafford did in 2021-22. But if he does, it’ll be thanks to KOC’s offensive acumen. Not because Kirk suddenly changed as a human being.

Can he improve enough to win a Super Bowl with a better offensive coaching staff? We’ll soon find out.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

If given the opportunity, buy Kirk Cousins trade stock immediately. This, after it was announced on Tuesday morning (via The Pat McAfee Show) that Aaron Rodgers is returning to the Packers. Within the same hour, news broke that the Denver Broncos were trading multiple first round picks for Seahawks QB, Russell Wilson.

And just like that, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is the best QB on a still rabid trade market full of teams vying desperately for an improvement at the most important position in mainstream sports.

BREAKING: According to my sources.. @AaronRodgers12 will officially be returning to the Green Bay Packers.

There is no deal in place currently but there is said to be a Cap Friendly deal on the way.

Retirement was a real consideration & in the end

???? HE IS BACK WITH THE PACK pic.twitter.com/1lpdcLxyPL

— ????️at McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 8, 2022

Blockbuster: After weeks of negotiations, in one of the largest trades in NFL history, the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos have agreed to terms for a deal involving Super-Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson, sources tell ESPN.

Trade is pending a physical and Wilson’s approval. pic.twitter.com/oRFDV8Ehyx

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2022

Kirk Cousins Trade Stock Rising

So now that the two top prizes are off the market, NFL offseason dominoes have been falling fast. There is a lot of pent-up energy that’s been releasing through the league’s rumor mill today. Schefty (ESPN) and the guys over at NFL Network are working their thumbs into carpal tunnel as you read this.

And plenty of franchises are still looking to improve QB play this offseason. The teams who consider themselves “just a quarterback away” include Carolina (who’s already been connected to Kirk Cousins this offseason), Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New Orleans and Washington, among others.

Maybe it’s true that the new Minnesota Vikings’ brain trust had planned on keeping Kirk Cousins. But if a quarterback desperate team offers a first round pick in April’s draft, plus more… I’m just not sure how the Vikings can say no to that kind of organizational restart.

And in a world where the Seahawks pull in this haul — (2) 1st round picks and (2) 2nd round picks, plus players — you cannot convince me Cousins’ would demand anything less than a 1st rounder in any trade scenario the Vikings would consider.

Trade package:

Seattle gets QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DL Shelby Harris, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick.

Denver gets Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2022

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan