The Minnesota Vikings are no longer unbeaten. Sunday’s 19-15 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field dropped them to 6-1, and the defense finally ran out of gas after carrying the team for seven weeks.

The offense, meanwhile, looked a lot like it has all season. Kyler Murray finished 17 of 29 for 210 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and his 35 rushing yards led the team. One 84-yard drive in the fourth quarter accounted for a big chunk of that production.

Through six games, Murray has completed 100 of 154 passes for 1,022 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions, and he’s been sacked 15 times. Behind him is Carson Wentz, since the Vikings traded J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants in September for a 2027 fifth-round pick.

Are Vikings in the market for QB before trade deadline?

So with the NFL trade deadline set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, the day after Minnesota hosts the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football, the quarterback question is officially back on the table. And it’s not just fans asking it after Sunday. Alec Lewis (The Athletic) brought it up in his postgame recap.

Lewis didn’t name any trade targets. But he called Sunday’s offensive performance a “necessary quarterback conversation” and wrote that the offense “remained unworkable” in Murray’s sixth start of the season.

Murray started his sixth game of the season. The offense remained unworkable. Murray rarely looked comfortable against the Lions’ defense — regardless of how many Detroit starters suffered injuries — and the unit struggled as a result. Murray missed reads. He jittered around in the pocket. Other than one 51-yard bomb to receiver Jordan Addison, the day was filled with inaccuracy and failed execution.

That this is nothing new adds to the relevance of this discussion. The Vikings have backup quarterback Carson Wentz on the roster. The team has also planned to be active ahead of the trade deadline with unspecified positional preferences. Perhaps the reliability of the Vikings’ defense Sunday pushes Minnesota to pursue a creative solution.

Not everyone is on the same page, though. Tom Pelissero (The Ringer) reported before the game, in his trade deadline notebook, that the Vikings remain bullish on Murray and have no intention of pursuing quarterback help at the deadline.

That report came before another rough day in Detroit, however. If Murray’s struggles in Week 8 opened O’Connell and new general manager Nolan Teasley to other ideas at quarterback, there are really only two names that make sense this late into the season.

Kirk Cousins reunion with the Minnesota Vikings?

Kirk Cousins is the most obvious one. It’s probably the best chance of success, if the Vikings decide a QB change is necessary. The former Minnesota starter has started all eight games for the Las Vegas Raiders this season, tossing for 2,124 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 101.4 passer rating.

On Sunday, he threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score in a 38-33 win over the New York Jets. The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Raiders, who are now 4-4 on the season.

Cousins would be the only guy who could come in with lots of proof that he can productively operate O’Connell’s offense. In 2022, Cousins threw for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns while going 13-3 as a starter, and the Vikings won the NFC North in KOC’s first season.

He was on pace for another big year in 2023, with 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts, before tearing his Achilles around this time that season (Oct. 29, 2023).

The contract is workable, too. Cousins carries a guaranteed base salary of just $1.3 million in 2026, with a guaranteed $10 million roster bonus due in 2027, according to Pro Football Talk.

The problem is Las Vegas. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said last week that there’s no controversy at quarterback and Cousins is his starter, which we covered here. After Sunday’s win, the Raiders don’t have much reason to move him.

Could Daniel Jones return to Minnesota?

Daniel Jones is the other name you could argue makes sense over Kyler Murray. Jones spent about half a season in Minnesota, joining the practice squad in November 2024 and the active roster in January 2025.

However, Jones never took a snap for the Vikings. He did spend a few months learning the ins and outs of O’Connell’s offense, both in practices and meetings. Unless the Seahawks make Sam Darnold available, that’s the most experience out there with KOC, other than Cousins.

He may be more realistically available, though. Jones went 19 of 28 for 144 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in a 42-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

In fact, Anthony Richardson took over early in the fourth quarter with Indianapolis down 35. Afterward, Shane Steichen said, “I’m going to evaluate everything, every position going forward.”

Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts and had a strong 2025 with 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions before an Achilles injury in December.

This season has gone the other way. Through eight starts, he has 1,542 yards, five touchdowns and nine interceptions. Pelissero also reported that the Vikings wouldn’t be interested in Jones even if the Colts made him available.

Any other options with KOC ties?

Sam Darnold threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns for O’Connell in 2024. But he’s now the Seattle Seahawks’ starter, with 1,290 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions through six games, so he isn’t a realistic trade target.

“Murray still causes problems with his legs. He ran for a team-high 35 yards in the game, a snapshot of how unsuccessful the team’s run game has been through the first seven games. The Vikings have been seeking running back help. However, the most pressing question now is whether or not they need to add the most important position in sports to their wish list.”

Alec Lewis, via The Athletic

Wentz played in five games for the Vikings in 2025, completing 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. This season, he’s 23 of 39 for 276 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in two appearances, both Vikings wins.

Which QB trade makes sense for the Vikings?

If the Vikings make a quarterback trade, Cousins is the cleanest fit. He has the best numbers of anyone available, with 19 touchdowns to five interceptions this season, two years of production in this offense, and a 2026 salary that fits almost any budget.

Jones fits, too. While his outlook isn’t as promising, he would be cheaper and available. Unless the Raiders are ready to give up on their season at 4-4, it’s possible he could cost more than what the Minnesota Vikings are willing to pay. They have nine days and one Monday night game against Buffalo to decide if Murray is the answer.