The Vikings are coming off their first defeat of the season, a 15-19 road loss to the Lions. While the Purple and Gold are still on top of the NFC North with a 6-1 record, they face uncertainty heading into Week 9.

Monday Night Football will feature a game between the Vikings and the Bills in what should be a hard-fought contest. That said, the status of starting quarterback Kyler Murray is in question after he sustained an injury against Detroit.

On Monday, ESPN shared a report on Monday that Murray is dealing with hamstring soreness that could cause him to miss the game against the Bills.

With Murray's status in question, it might be smart to trade for a quarterback to help while he recovers—especially with less than a week to go before the 2026 deadline. Plenty of names have been thrown around in trade rumors, but one that isn't getting much attention could stand out to the Vikings.

Texans QB Davis Mills could be an interesting trade target for the Vikings

The Vikings have been disappointing offensively this season and may not want to turn the offense over to backup quarterback Carson Wentz this week. Plus, if the Vikings are looking for an inexpensive option to hold down the position for a few weeks and provide more depth, Texans quarterback Davis Mills is an option.

Mills is in his fifth NFL season and has started 29 games for Houston since entering the league. The 28-year-old quarterback has completed 684 of his 1,107 career pass attempts for 7082 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions.

The Texans have Mills on a one-year, $7 million contract, according to Spotrac. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of his season, which means the 2-5 Texans would likely be willing to trade him for a mid-round pick rather than let him walk after this year.

It all depends on how much faith the Vikings have in Wentz and his backup, Max Brosmer, to hold down the ship until Murray is ready to return. Although Wentz led Minnesota to wins against the Packers and Bears, he only averaged 138 passing yards on a 59.0% completion rate.

For now, the Vikings need to focus on preparing for the rest of the season and a possible playoff berth. Adding a quarterback with starting experience could help to add depth and options for head coach Kevin O'Connell, and if they can do so without giving up valuable draft capital, even better.

Minnesota can't afford to lose many more games this season with the strong competition in the NFC North. Every team in the NFC North has at least five wins and a winning record heading into Week 9, so defending U.S. Bank Stadium against the Bills on Monday Night Football needs to be a priority.

In the meantime, it's time for the Vikings to give the Texans a call before it's too late.