Will Vikings trade for a QB? Carson Wentz leaves Minnesota with little choice after ‘MNF’ dud originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Vikings were the only NFL team to enter November undefeated, and they remain comfortably in playoff position at 6-2. So, why does the energy around Minnesota feel so dark right now?
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It’s hard to win without a quarterback, and the Vikings looked Monday night like a team without a quarterback in a 23-6 loss. Carson Wentz was abysmal in place of an injured Kyler Murray, who has struggled himself when on the field this season.
The trade deadline looms on Tuesday, and pressure is mounting on the Vikings to make a move at quarterback to avoid wasting a stellar defense.
Here’s a look at whether a trade is realistic.
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The Vikings cannot go on with Wentz as their quarterback. That much is clear after Monday’s loss, even if he was playing through pain. The good news is they won’t have to, at least in the long run, as Murray is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury and isn’t dealing with an injury serious enough to necessitate a stint on injured reserve.
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The bad news is that Murray simply hasn’t been much better. The former No. 1 pick has only one multi-touchdown game this season, and he hasn’t thrown for 250 yards in any of his five full games. The offense had more success with Murray than it did with Wentz on Monday, but the bar set by Wentz was remarkably low.
Max Brosmer also looked solid after replacing Wentz in garbage time on Monday, but he hasn’t proven that he can sustain the kind of play that can win games for Minnesota.
The possibility of a trade has to be considered very real. The Vikings didn’t just find out Monday night that they have a quarterback problem, so they aren’t starting from scratch, but there has to be an increased sense of urgency.
With such a dominant defense, the Vikings don’t have to bring in a star to give themselves a chance to win. Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones, both former Vikings, reportedly won’t be traded, but would a strong Minnesota offer change that? The Commanders love super-sub Marcus Mariota, but would he be available with the season likely lost in Washington?
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Those are the obvious targets, but after a few unexpected trades in the lead-up to the deadline, the Vikings could always do something even more bold, even if it isn’t clear what that might be.
If no trade develops, there is the nuclear option for the Vikings: signing a player currently out of the league. The Colts did it with Philip Rivers last season. Is Minnesota desperate enough to call Russell Wilson or Derek Carr, who are both retired? What about Jimmy Garoppolo?
The Broncos reportedly reached out to Drew Brees after Bo Nix’s injury in January. Brees, retired since 2020, might be a stretch, but it goes to show what quarterback desperation can drive a team to do.
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Here are the underwhelming numbers Wentz put up against the Bills:
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Comp-att: 8-25
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Pass yards: 81
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INT: 2
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Passer rating: 8.9
The veteran was banged up during the game, but he did not look the part against a Buffalo defense that has had some shaky performances this season.
Wentz threw two interceptions and had a would-be third dropped by Terrel Bernard; he completed just 32 percent of passes and had a miniscule passer rating of 8.9, the lowest passer rating of any Vikings QB with at least 20 pass attempts since 1984.
Among quarterbacks who threw at least 25 passes in a game, Wentz’s passer rating is the lowest since Sam Darnold’s “seeing ghosts” game against the Patriots in 2019.
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