Barring injury, it appears as though Kyler Murray’s time as the Minnesota Vikings‘ starting QB is coming to an end. Right before the 4 pm trade deadline on Nov. 10, the Vikings traded for Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins, who is back for a second stint.
Moreover, if that wasn’t enough, Murray’s hamstring injury, which was initially a week-to-week situation, might be more serious than what was revealed last week before their Week 9 game against the Buffalo Bills.
On Nov. 10, Prime Video’s NFL insider James Palmer shared the latest update on Murray’s hamstring as the former No. 1 pick has likely lost his starting job to Cousins.
“Kyler Murray is currently dealing with a grade 2 hamstring that is week to week and he’s expected to miss more time past last night,” Palmer wrote on X. “Kirk Cousins slides in on a Tuesday with possibly enough time to start against the Packers on Sunday.”
Russell Wilson on Kirk Cousins Returning to Minnesota
As for the Cousins trade, while Murray was still getting the hang of the Vikings offense, it was clear that the team couldn’t wait any longer for the former No. 1 pick to figure it out. With Cousins, Minnesota brings in someone who knows the offense.
Moreover, the Vikings also bring in a player who was playing well for the Raiders this season. Cousins has a passer rating of 97.1 with 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in nine games this season, per StatMuse.
With the trade done, former NFL QB Russell Wilson applauded the Vikings’ aggressiveness to bolster the position after their back-to-back losses.
“Kirk’s been playing great all year,” Wilson said during a Nov. 10 appearance on “CBS Sports HQ.” “You think about a guy who had some struggles in Atlanta but overcame them and came back in an amazing way. To me, he’s kind of the comeback player of the year in Kirk O’Chains because of what he’s been able to do, stepping up and playing great for the Raiders.
“But now he’s got a plethora of playmakers around him, and he’s got KOC calling the plays. That marriage, that reunion, bringing him back, you could see it on KOC’s face last night, too. He’s thinking, ‘Man, we have to do something. This isn’t good enough.'”
Insider on How Kirk Cousins Trade for Vikings Unfolded
Moreover, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter shared how the Cousins trade played out in the final hours for the Vikings leading up to the 4 pm ET trade deadline.
“I think they had a list of quarterbacks this morning,” Schefter said during a Nov. 10 appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “They went through it and spoke to various franchises, and it feels like the Colts have been very reluctant to deal players. They seem a little gun-shy after some of the criticism they received over Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. Daniel Jones never seemed to gain much traction.
“Kirk Cousins appeared to be the quarterback they were focused on. They checked in on other quarterbacks, but as the day went on, you could tell the Kirk Cousins situation was gaining steam and that a deal was likely to happen. And it has happened for a 2027 third-round draft pick. Kirk Cousins goes back to Minnesota.”
Vikings Get Kyler Murray Injury Update After Kirk Cousins Trade