The Minnesota Vikings have seen the momentum that came from their undefeated start to the 2026 campaign disappear over the past week. After suffering their first loss of the season in Week 8, the Vikings have now been forced to prepare for their upcoming contest against the Buffalo Bills without Kyler Murray, who has been ruled out for this game with a hamstring injury.
Carson Wentz will fill in for Murray in this one, but even before his aforementioned injury woes, there were serious concerns about the quarterback position for Minnesota. With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the Vikings have suddenly emerged as a potential suitor for a handful of options at this position, with one prominent NFL insider linking them to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones.
Vikings Linked to Daniel Jones Reunion Ahead of Trade Deadline
The Vikings brought Murray in over the offseason to compete with J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback gig, but he quickly ended up being named the starter in August. Minnesota clearly had quite a bit of confidence in Murray, but to this point, he’s been sorely disappointing, and this is already his second noteworthy injury of the year.
While Murray’s injury may seem like a bad thing, it actually allows the Vikings to reassess the quarterback position. You can make an argument that Wentz has looked better than Murray during his limited time on the field this year, and if he struggles against the Bills on Monday Night Football, there would still be time for the front office to make a move for a player at this position.
The guy who could make the most sense for the Vikings is Jones, who previously spent time with the team in 2024 after he was released by the New York Giants. The Colts have reportedly begun listening to trade offers for Jones, and with Minnesota seemingly considering its options at quarterback, it led NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN to suggest that a deal could materialize between these two teams.
“You wonder if there’s a team, like the Minnesota Vikings, that would consider trying to bring Jones back to the Vikings this week,” Schefter said on “Sunday NFL Countdown.” “He spent time in Minnesota before. Kyler Murray is out Monday night with a Grade 2 hamstring strain … That is one to watch this week.”
Should the Vikings Trade for Daniel Jones?
Indianapolis has clearly signaled that it is rebuilding, and having the opportunity to move off Jones and his $88 million contract that he signed over the offseason is something that this team likely wasn’t expecting to be on the table just a couple of weeks ago. The connection between Jones and Minnesota makes a lot of sense on paper, though, especially if the team is worried about Murray’s injury status, or just his performance in general.
The Vikings are going to see how they perform against the Bills before making any decisions on their trade plans, but once that game wraps up, they are only going to have a couple of hours to figure out what their path forward looks like. It’s still only Week 9, but you can make an argument that this is the most important game of Minnesota’s season for reasons both on and off the field.
Insider Links Vikings to Trade for $88 Million Quarterback Amid Kyler Murray Injury