One hamstring could swing the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback plan for Monday night, not the calls for his benching or trade. At least, that’s what we are being led to believe.

Kyler Murray came out of Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions with a hamstring injury, according to head coach Kevin O’Connell after the Vikings’ first loss. Now, there are questions surrounding whether or not he will be ready to play Monday night (Nov. 9) against the Buffalo Bills.

The 19-15 loss in Detroit Sunday put a direct spotlight on Murray, who has thrown for 1,022 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions, with an 86.6 passer rating this season, through six games. He’s also been sacked 15 times.

Kyler Murray Injury Update: Can He Move?

Still, O’Connell didn’t waver on Monday when he told media that the team plans to put Murray’s hamstring through a full evaluation, before deciding if he is ready to get back on the field.

When asked if Murray is still his starter as long as he’s healthy, he answered “Yes.” However, reports early this week seem to suggest that hamstring may not be ready to go in six days. On Tuesday, Ian Rapoport (ESPN/NFL Network) cast some doubt on his status against the Bills, but said he doesn’t get the sense it’s really bad.

“So, the biggest thing is Kyler, like he does have hamstring soreness. I don’t get the sense it’s like really bad, but he is a mobile quarterback. And so if he can’t move like he needs to, then I don’t know that he’s gonna play. And so then it would be Carson Wentz, which is interesting because when he’s played and been healthy in this offense, it’s looked pretty good.”

Mobility is a BIG part of what Murray brings. We’ve already seen his limitations as a pocket passer. However, he has run for 167 yards on 29 carries this season. Still, for a QB who’s already been sacked more than a dozen times, taking away his mobility might as well be a death wish.

The Monday night kickoff gives the Minnesota Vikings, their doctors and Kyler Murray an extra day to decide whether or not he will be active this week. That also means we won’t get our first injury report until Thursday, as opposed to Wednesday.

Could Murray injury be a soft benching?

If Murray can’t go, the Vikings will pivot to Carson Wentz. While the switch could happen naturally, there are some (including Mike Florio of PFT) who wonder if this hamstring injury could give Minnesota an excuse to soft-bench Murray.

“I feel like a soft benching could be in the offing. When Kevin O’Connell says yesterday he’s got hamstring tightness. And there was something he was in the tent for, all of the game-winning drive by the Lions, had his left arm taped… I have a feeling this could be a way to say he’s injured and a way to pivot to Carson Wentz and see how it goes with Carson Wentz…”

The same show noted that Murray was in the medical tent during the Lions’ game-winning drive with his left arm taped. On the field, Wentz has had the most consistent connection with Justin Jefferson of any Vikings quarterback since Kirk Cousins, according to the PFT Live discussion.

Locally, Darren Wolfson (KSTP) described the Vikings’ thinking on Purple Daily. If Murray is healthy, he starts against Buffalo. If he can’t run on Monday, it’s a soft benching and Wentz gets the call.

Are the MN Vikings chasing a QB trade?

As for a trade, Wolfson said the Raiders “just aren’t willing to play ball” on Cousins, who he believes would cost a second-round pick. He also said there was “zero dialogue, zero interest” in Daniel Jones before Sunday’s game. Still, he expects “some sort of action” before the trade deadline on Nov. 10.

The patience with Murray is wearing thin outside the building, too. On the Access Vikings podcast, the Star Tribune crew said “the grace period with Kyler at the very least with the fan base does seem to have closed for many this weekend.”

For now, the decision sits with Murray’s hamstring. Thursday’s injury report should tell us a lot about which quarterback takes the field against the Bills.