Kembali
The Minnesota Vikings are 6-1 despite having the league's 31st-ranked passing offense. Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Thursday that Kyler Murray will miss Monday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Carson Wentz will start in his place.
Although Wentz is a viable short-term option, can he be the Vikings' long-term solution in 2026? Minnesota's defense ranks first in points per game allowed (13.3) and still ranks second in both yards and EPA/play allowed.
That could force the Vikings to get aggressive in solving their quarterback problem, Fantasy Life's Matthew Berry said. On Wednesday, he suggested Minnesota should trade its 2027 first-round pick for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins.
"The Minnesota Vikings’ Super Bowl window is OPEN," Berry tweeted on Wednesday. "They need to go all in."
Berry shared a graphic from his on-air show quoting him as saying, "If I'm Minnesota, I give the Raiders a first for [Kirk] Cousins."
Cousins ranks third in passing yards (2,124) this season and has thrown 19 touchdown passes, the league's second-highest total. He has thrown only five interceptions, so he's protecting the football while leading a Raiders offense tied for 11th in EPA/play this year.
While I'm sure the Vikings would love to acquire Cousins, it's hard to see why Las Vegas would trade him away. Of course, the first-round pick would be intriguing, and the Raiders would then start first-overall pick Fernando Mendoza for the rest of the season.
But Cousins has led Las Vegas to a 4-4 record, and they have been competitive this season. Would they really be willing to move on from him, even if Minnesota offered a first-round pick?
His fit with the Vikings makes tons of sense. Cousins completed 67.1% of his passes for 6,878 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions in 25 games with O'Connell in Minnesota before tearing his Achilles. That would shorten much of the learning curve in acclimating to the Vikings' offense.
Is Minnesota willing to give up that much draft capital for a 38-year-old quarterback? If Cousins could lead the Vikings to the Super Bowl, it would be worth it. But if they fall short, it could be seen as an overpay for an old quarterback that would hamper the future.