The Vikings are still sitting on top of the NFC North, but Sunday’s 19-15 loss in Detroit was another reminder that this team has a real problem on offense. Minnesota is 6-1, yet the margin for error keeps shrinking because the unit around Brian Flores’ defense has been so uneven.
That defense has carried the load. Minnesota is allowing just over 13 points per game, tops in the league, and the pass rush has been relentless even after the offseason trade of Jonathan Greenard.
The Vikings are second in the NFL with 25 sacks, one behind the Steelers. But the offense has not matched that standard.
Minnesota traded away J.J. McCarthy and handed the keys to Kyler Murray, and the results have been ugly: the Vikings rank No. 29 in total offense and have only 12 total touchdowns.
Only the Chargers have fewer, with nine.
That’s why the trade chatter around Colts running back Jonathan Taylor doesn’t quite fit the problem Minnesota actually has. Taylor is the biggest name floating around ahead of the deadline, and plenty of teams are expected to chase him.
He’d bring star power to the backfield, no question. But the Vikings are already 17th in the league in rushing at nearly 114 yards per game, and the Colts are only a spot ahead at 116.
Minnesota has gotten solid production from Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, so the ground game isn’t the area screaming for a rescue.
What the Vikings really need is help for a passing attack that has stalled out. They’re in win-now mode after moving their former first-round quarterback for a fifth-round pick, and they keep wasting a gifted receiving group built around Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and TJ Hockenson.
So instead of swinging for Taylor, Minnesota should be looking at an old familiar name: Kirk Cousins.
The Raiders are 4-4, but they’re not positioned to make a real push, especially with Fernando Mendoza already in the picture as the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Cousins knows that, and he’s still producing at a high level. He ranks third in the NFL with 2,124 passing yards, has thrown 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, and would give any quarterback room a major lift.
He also knows exactly how this works in Minnesota. Cousins had arguably the best stretch of his NFL career with the Vikings from 2020-2022 before an injury ended his 2023 season early.
He then left for Atlanta, and that story is already well known. Kevin O’Connell and Cousins worked well together, and Jefferson clearly enjoyed that connection too.
The Vikings don’t need another shiny name at running back. They need someone who can stabilize the offense and get the ball to the playmakers they already have.
Right now, that means picking up the phone on Cousins. Anything would be an upgrade over the Vikings’ current 31st-ranked passing attack with Kyler Murray at the helm.
In Other News...
Vikings Could Make A Costly Deadline Swing At Running Back
The running back market could get expensive before the NFL trade deadline, and Minnesota has been mentioned among the teams keeping a close eye on it. With injuries and depth concerns driving interest around the league, the Vikings are one of several clubs exploring help at the position, while Indianapolis has made it clear it may not be eager to move Jonathan Taylor without a meaningful return.
For Minnesota, the question is whether the price tag matches the urgency. League chatter has linked the Vikings and the Giants to the same search for backfield help, but any deal for Taylor would likely require a significant package and would force a team to weigh present needs against future draft capital. Nothing is finalized, and Taylors situation in Indianapolis remains unresolved, which leaves the deadline picture very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Quarterback Frustration Just Put A Bigger Move In Play
The Vikings recent loss has only sharpened the conversation around their quarterback situation, and it has begun to push the discussion beyond the usual short-term fixes. Instead of focusing solely on adding help at running back, the bigger question now is whether Minnesota should be looking at a more dramatic move to stabilize the offense and change the direction of the room.
Daniel Jones has emerged as the name to watch in that conversation, especially with Indianapolis in a rebuilding phase and open to reshaping its roster. For Minnesota, the appeal is obvious: if the frustration with quarterback play is real enough, the front office may be forced to think bigger than a single skill-position upgrade, even if the timing and market for such a move are still very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Taylor Trade Talk Just Put The Colts On The Spot
Minnesotas first loss of the season has only sharpened the conversation around how this offense wants to win when the passing game is not carrying the load. The Vikings have looked dangerous enough to keep the pressure on opponents, but the debate now is whether they need a more reliable rushing presence to round out the attack and give the offense a clearer identity.
That is why the trade chatter around Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor has started to feel more than hypothetical, even if nothing official is in place. Any serious pursuit would come with real hurdles, from the cost in draft capital to the cap math needed to make it work, and those are the kinds of obstacles that can stall a splashy idea before it ever reaches the finish line. [Read more 🡒]