The Vikings went looking for quarterback help before Tuesday’s trade deadline, and the price tag on Mac Jones apparently sent them in another direction.
Minnesota checked on the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, but San Francisco’s asking price was too steep, Dianna Russini reported Tuesday. Her report said league sources believed the Vikings were actually working toward a deal for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins, with Jones left on the board as an option that came with a major hurdle.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero later reported that the Raiders were sending Cousins to Minnesota for a 2027 third-round pick. Pelissero also reported that Las Vegas is moving to quarterback Fernando Mendoza, giving the Vikings a different path after the Jones talks hit a wall.
Russini did not say what San Francisco wanted in return for Jones.
The Vikings’ search picked up after Monday night’s 23-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills dropped them to 6-2 and put their offense under a harsh spotlight. Carson Wentz completed just eight of 25 passes for 81 yards and two interceptions, Minnesota went 0-for-8 on third down, and Buffalo controlled the ball for more than 42 minutes.
Even with that setback, Minnesota remains in the thick of things, which is why the team was still hunting for help. If the Cousins deal is completed as reported, he would return with nine regular-season games left, starting with the trip to Green Bay.
Jones brings a different kind of resume. The former Alabama quarterback went 15th overall in the 2021 draft, made the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the New England Patriots, and later spent the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars before signing a two-year deal with San Francisco in March 2025.
In his first season with the 49ers, Jones made eight starts and finished with a 69.6% completion rate, 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. His 97.4 passer rating was the best of his career.
He has not started a game this season.
San Francisco, meanwhile, had its own reasons to be careful. The 49ers improved to 7-1 with a 38-17 win over the Raiders on Sunday, so any trade would have meant weighing the return against losing a veteran option behind Brock Purdy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter had already reported that Minnesota had identified Cousins as a prime trade candidate. Pelissero’s report filled in the compensation, while Russini’s account made clear why Jones never became the answer. The Vikings now turn their attention to how fast they can lift an offense that managed only six points in its last outing.
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