Justin Jefferson didn’t dodge the conversation after the Vikings’ 23-6 loss to the Bills on Monday night. He leaned right into it.
Minnesota’s offense sputtered all night in front of its home crowd, finishing with just 178 total yards and leaving plenty of questions hanging over the quarterback spot. Carson Wentz, starting in place of Kyler Murray, never found a rhythm. He threw for 81 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions, and finished with an 8.9 QBR before Max Brosmer took over in the fourth quarter and showed a little spark, going 6-for-7 for 58 yards.
Jefferson was the most productive target in the passing game, but even his line came with frustration attached. He caught three passes for 58 yards, was targeted 11 times and had multiple drops, including one that could have turned into a touchdown.
Asked afterward about the offensive mess, Jefferson didn’t sugarcoat it. Even with Minnesota sitting at 6-2, he said the group “still gotta figure it out.”
“We’re still struggling on offense, obviously. So we just gotta find ways to simplify it and make it easier for everybody. Go out there, execute on the plays,” Jefferson said.
“We have the talent, we have the guys in the room and on the offensive side of the ball to make plays and make something happen,” he told reporters postgame.
The quarterback chatter around Minnesota picked up during the broadcast itself, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman mentioning the possibility of the Vikings making a move before Tuesday’s deadline. Jefferson was later asked whether the team should trade for a quarterback, but he pushed that decision up the chain.
“Not sure. That’s on Nolan; that’s on KO.
That’s their job. My job is to continue getting open, be the leader of this team.
Come next week, hopefully things change,” Jefferson said.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t shut the door on a deal either. After the game, he said, “I’ll defer to Nolan on that,” referring to general manager Nolan Teasley.
“We’ve had dialogue about a lot of different positions. And tight turnaround obviously playing the Monday night game before that, and we’ll get right to work on any potential moves that can be there.”
He also said the showing against Buffalo “was not good enough in any way, shape, or form.”
The names floating around the rumor mill included former Vikings starter Kirk Cousins, now with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones. But Adam Schefter reported that the Raiders are not interested in trading Cousins, which could take one option off the table.
If Minnesota stands pat, Wentz could stay in the job until Murray is ready to return from his Grade 2 hamstring strain. Murray is considered week-to-week after getting hurt in the Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions. Brosmer is another possibility after his brief relief appearance Monday, though he entered the season as a developmental third-string option.
There’s also the free-agent route, but the market offers experience without a clear immediate upgrade. Any new face would still need time to learn O’Connell’s offense, which makes Wentz or Brosmer the more realistic short-term answers if Murray remains out.
For now, the Vikings have until 4 p.m. ET Tuesday to decide whether to add help or ride with what they’ve got. Their 6-2 record still keeps them in the mix, but Monday night made one thing obvious: the offense needs a fix, and fast.
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