The Minnesota Vikings continue to make the rounds as a top landing spot for an elite running back via the trade market, but it is possible the team could make one last move to solidify the quarterback room behind Kyler Murray.
Dominique Foxworth and Charlie Kravitz discussed the notion of two competing trades on the Friday, October 30 edition of “The Dominique Foxworth Show,” the first involving San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones and the second centered on Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
“In your mind’s eye, if there were two tweets in separate, parallel universes: one, it’s the Vikings trade for Jonathan Taylor, and the other one is the Vikings traded for Mac Jones,” Kravitz posited. “Which do you think gives them a better chance of winning the Super Bowl?”
“I think I’d be more excited about the Mac Jones trade because it’s, like, maybe,” Foxworth responded.
“Who knows? [Kevin O’Connell] loves like statue white guys who sit in the pocket and deliver the ball on time,” Kravitz continued.
“Kirk Cousins all over again,” Foxworth said.
Little Buzz Around 49ers Dealing QB Mac Jones at NFL Trade Deadline
Jones was part of the discussion around Minnesota’s quarterback room during the offseason before Murray fell into the team’s lap on a league-minimum salary, at which point circumstances dictated the Vikings would go with Murray.
San Francisco (6-1) may not be interested in moving Jones at all, even though he is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent next offseason. The 49ers will probably get a compensatory pick of some kind when he departs, though if Jones doesn’t play at all in 2026 that will impact how good said draft pick is, and his minimal salary (two years, $8.4 million total) doesn’t help in that regard either.
The Niners can probably get a stronger asset by dealing Jones ahead of the deadline, particularly given that he played well last year in Brock Purdy’s stead. Jones appeared in 11 games and started eight of those, completing 69.6 percent of his pass attempts for 2,151 yards, 13 TDs and six INTs.
Jones’ resurgent performance in Kyle Shanahan’s offense is a double-edged sword in that it could push the QB’s price upward if the team put him on the trade block, but it also makes the decision to move him harder/riskier if Purdy suffers injury again in 2026.
Vikings Promoted Carson Wentz, Parted Ways With JJ McCarthy
The Vikings probably aren’t going to deal for a quarterback, as the coaching staff has given no indication that Murray is in danger of losing his starting job. Even if he does, Carson Wentz is on the roster as QB2 with second-year signal-caller Max Brosmer waiting in the wings if things grow really dire.
Minnesota had JJ McCarthy on a cheap rookie contract but chose to trade him earlier this season to the New York Giants in return for a fifth-round pick, despite McCarthy starting only 10 games over his first two years. He won his first start in New York last week with a victory over the Houston Texans.
Making a move for Jones could be a play for the Vikings’ future, as Murray will be a free agent next spring and has a no franchise-tag clause in his one-year agreement with Minnesota.
Vikings Pitched $8 Million QB Trade to Replace Kyler Murray