The Minnesota Vikings signed former Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan as an emergency backup in Week 5 in the wake of Nick Mullens suffering a back injury midweek.
Addressing Mullens’ timeline to return, head coach Kevin O’Connell said on Monday, October 9, that the Vikings could explore a roster move at quarterback if Mullens misses more time, according to the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling.
A corresponding move came on Tuesday, October 10, when the Vikings released Morgan from the team’s practice squad. Morgan did not dress for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs; however, he would have served as the third quarterback behind Kirk Cousins and Jaren Hall had he been elevated.
O’Connell’s comment on exploring a quarterback move is more a sign that Minnesota is not ready to have Hall be the No. 2 quarterback behind Cousins.
Mullens’ status on the October 11 injury report will be telling about the likelihood of a move. A new quarterback would need to be considered starting caliber, especially with trade rumors ramping up surrounding Cousins.
Vikings Plan to Place Justin Jefferson on IR: Report
GettyVikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that Justin Jefferson, after suffering a hamstring injury on Sunday, is expected to be placed on the team’s injured reserve list, effectively ruling him out of at least the next four games.
The Vikings — already in a hole, starting the season with a 1-4 record — appear to be in limbo with their franchise star’s outlook for the rest of the season in jeopardy. The team seems to play every opponent close — but hasn’t had the same luck it had from the 2023 season, winning 11 straight one-score games in the regular season.
Since then, Minnesota is 1-5 in one-score games. In their last 14 games overall, the Vikings are 6-8.
That’s led to speculation of whether the organization will go forward with competing this season or sell off some of its players by the trade deadline, accelerating the soft rebuild that the new regime has embraced since taking over in 2022.
Kirk Cousins, Danielle Hunter Headline Potential Trade Chips
Cousins is the No. 1 subject of all trade chatter approaching the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline. National media broadcasts continue to tout Cousins to the New York Jets, and the trade pitches won’t end if the Vikings cannot stop the bleeding of a season that’s already looking lost.
Cousins does have a no-trade clause, but he can waive it, especially for the right trade suitor. The Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers (if they lose Brock Purdy to injury) and Jets are all considered potential buyers who could help Cousins raise his stock in the remainder of the 2023 season before he hits free agency again in 2024.
Danielle Hunter, like Cousins, is playing on an expiring contract this season. He staged a hold-in to secure a new deal this season, but during that period the Vikings did field trade offers. KSTP’s Darren Wolfson has maintained that the Jacksonville Jaguars were interested in Hunter this summer.
Other players who are in the final year of their contracts that could garner trade interest include K.J. Osborn, Ezra Cleveland and Jordan Hicks.
The Vikings haven’t historically had fire sales at the trade deadline, but this year, the circumstances could lend themselves to the new regime taking matters into its own hands and acquiring draft capital for the future.
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Vikings Open to Exploring QB Move, Kevin O’Connell Says