The Vikings’ quarterback question is starting to loom larger, but the Daniel Jones chatter? That one doesn’t hold up.
Kyler Murray has been good enough to keep the job for now, but the case against him is getting harder to ignore. Through four full games, he has only three touchdown passes and an 85.8 passer rating, and Minnesota’s 6-0 start has been fueled more by a dominant defense and steady special teams than by the offense carrying its weight.
The encouraging side of the argument is that Murray has shown flashes, especially against the Saints before the bye, and there’s still a belief he can keep growing with more reps in Kevin O’Connell’s system. But after a rough step back against the Colts, patience may not last much longer if he can’t produce against the Lions and Bills, two defenses ranked 32nd and 31st in opponent EPA/play.
If O’Connell decides the quarterback spot needs a jolt, the first answer is obvious: Carson Wentz. He threw three touchdown passes against the Packers in Week 1, matching Murray’s total over four games, and while he is far from a flawless choice, he could fit the offense better.
General manager Nolan Teasley also has the trade deadline in play. The Nov. 10 deadline comes the day after the Bills game on Monday Night Football, and one name already floating around is Kirk Cousins. The former Vikings starter is now with the Raiders, where he’s piling up touchdown passes while serving as a bridge to No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
Then there’s Daniel Jones, who spent part of the end of the 2024 season in Minnesota and was a player the Vikings wanted back before he signed with Indianapolis. Mike Sando of The Athletic raised the idea on Tuesday night, writing:
“Vikings wanted to re-sign Daniel Jones but Jones left so he could have clearer path to starting job
Vikings have a QB now but … if something happened to Murray, or team felt it needed an alternative …
Just thinking out loud https://t.co/pGqJcBPlwS
- Mike Sando (@SandoNFL) October 28, 2026”
But that idea goes nowhere fast. Minnesota just saw Jones up close, and he managed only 108 passing yards while taking four sacks and throwing an interception on 27 dropbacks. He has also been one of the least effective quarterbacks in football this season and is in danger of losing his job to Anthony Richardson.
The money makes it even less realistic. Jones is in the first year of a two-year, $88 million contract with nearly $50 million guaranteed.
A trade would force the Colts to swallow a large dead-cap hit, and any team that acquired him would be taking on that deal. In short: it’s not happening.
For now, the likeliest path is for the Vikings to stay with Murray and hope the offense comes around. If they do decide to move on, Wentz and Cousins look like the only real alternatives. Jones is not one of them.
In Other News...
Brian Flores Just Tested How Far The Vikings Defense Can Go
Brian Flores pushed the Vikings into unfamiliar territory against Indianapolis, leaning on a defensive game plan built around disguises, moving parts and constant pressure. Minnesotas linebackers and secondary did plenty of the heavy lifting, with Blake Cashman and Harrison Smith among the key pieces helping the scheme stay organized while the pass rush came after the Colts from every angle.
The result was the kind of passing-day squeeze Flores has been looking for, with Indianapolis held to just 64 net passing yards, four sacks and an interception. Even so, the broader test is still unfolding for Minnesotas defense, because the same aggressive approach left room for the Colts to find some traction elsewhere and raised the question of how far the Vikings can keep leaning into this style when opponents start preparing for it. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings-Lions Is Getting The National Stage This Week
The Vikings meeting with the Lions is getting the kind of broadcast treatment that signals just how much attention this NFC North matchup is drawing. FOXs coverage map shows a wide swath of the northern United States, parts of New England and even the Miami area carrying the game, giving Minnesota fans plenty of company beyond the usual regional footprint.
At the same time, a handful of notable NFL markets will be shown the late Chargers-Rams window instead, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Baltimore and Jacksonville. FOX is also putting its top broadcast crew on Vikings-Lions, with Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady on the call, which only adds to the sense that this one has been circled well beyond Minneapolis and Detroit. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Face A Huge Week 8 Test With Their Fast Start On Line
A fast start has given the Vikings some breathing room in the NFC North, but Week 8 brings the kind of divisional test that can quickly sharpen the edges. Minnesotas trip to face the Lions comes with more than bragging rights attached, since it is also a chance to improve in the division and keep the season on track against a familiar opponent that can turn one Sunday into a momentum swing.
The matchup offers a few obvious pressure points. Stopping Jahmyr Gibbs will be central for Minnesota, while T.J. Hockenson has a chance to matter against a Detroit defense that has struggled at tight end. The injury reports due after practices on Oct. 28 could also shape the picture, and the biggest defensive question may be whether the Vikings can make Jared Goff uncomfortable enough to change the way the game unfolds. [Read more 🡒]