The Minnesota Vikings might add a quarterback before the NFL trade deadline Tuesday. But if they do, it doesn’t appear it will be Daniel Jones.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported Saturday morning the Colts have turned down offers on the veteran quarterback and don’t plan to move him before next week.
“The Colts have received calls on QB Daniel Jones ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, but they’ve told interested teams they aren’t trading him,” wrote Pelissero.
Pundits have speculated about the possibility of the Vikings acquiring Jones over the past week. Minnesota lost its first game of the 2026 campaign last Sunday. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray is also dealing with a hamstring injury.
Backup Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings on Monday night against the Buffalo Bills.
Vikings Won’t Be Able to Acquire Daniel Jones: Report
It’s hard to put a stop to trade rumors in the NFL. So there’s no guarantee the Jones-to-Vikings chatter will end with Pelissero’s update Saturday morning.
But it should put the topic to rest. It might have been a long shot possibility for the Vikings anyway.
Jones is in the trade conversation with the Vikings because of the team’s struggles behind center. Minnesota is 27th in scoring and 29th in offensive yards entering Week 9.
The Vikings passing offense is ranked 31st in yards with Kyler Murray starting six of seven games this fall.
Murray won’t play in Week 9 because of a hamstring injury. NFL insider Mike Florio, though, sees Murray sitting this weekend as a “soft benching” in favor of Carson Wentz.
On Saturday morning, Florio predicted that if Wentz plays well, the Vikings won’t pursue any quarterback. But if he doesn’t, Florio called on Minnesota adding a new signal-caller before the trade deadline passes.
The league’s trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 pm ET.
What Other QB Targets Could Vikings Pursue?
Florio continued Saturday morning, arguing that Jones was the ideal target if Wentz fails in his tryout. But assuming Jones is off the table with Pelissero’s update, the Vikings will have to pursue other potential options if they want to add a quarterback.
The other possibility Florio explored was Kirk Cousins. It’s unclear if the team and signal-caller would be open to a reunion, but one makes sense on paper.
Cousins is playing very well, but with the Las Vegas Raiders, he’s veteran placeholder for No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. If the Raiders are prepared to make the move to Mendoza, then they could recoup draft capital trading Cousins to a desperate Vikings team.
Other potential quarterback trade targets for Minnesota pundits have discussed include Justin Herbert and Geno Smith. Herbert, though, is a quite unlikely target given the Los Angeles Chargers have stressed they aren’t trading anyone from their 0-7 roster.
While the Vikings offense has struggled, Minnesota’s defense has excelled this season. That unit has the team at 6-1 and in first place of the very competitive NFC North.
However, it wouldn’t take much for the Vikings to slip down the standings. The Green Bay Packers bring up the rear in the division at 5-3.
Vikings Get Major Daniel Jones Update Ahead of Bills Game