Vikings Rumors with This Guy Just Won’t Die
It wouldn’t be an official offseason for Minnesota Vikings rumors without Trey Lance theories. They never go away.
Vikings Rumors with This Guy Just Won’t Die
Minnesota is currently locked in the grandest of mysteries involving incumbent quarterback Kirk Cousins, so naturally, the purple team has been connected to every possible quarterback via free agency, the draft, and even trade(s).
Now, with a Cousins verdict around the bend in one week, Lance-to-Vikings whispers are back, almost as if they never left.
NFL Network’s Rich Eisen appeared to be the rumor originator this time, mentioning the Vikings as a Lance landing spot this week. “A possible solve at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings is a native of the state and his name is Trey Lance. Trey Lance is a possible solve for the Vikings. Now, the Cowboys kept him on the roster long enough to get a bonus,” Eisen said this week.
Lance, who lives on the Dallas Cowboys depth chart as QB3, was the odd man out when Brock Purdy emerged as a semi-elite starter. So, his original team, the San Francisco 49ers, shipped him to Dallas for a 4th-Round draft pick.
Eisen added, “So they’re paying money to keep him. And as you know, they got him for a five. I’m just wondering if the Vikings flip them a three. A Friday night pick? Do they go ahead and do that?”
Lance could be great for the Vikings — as a QB2 or QB3. The man has hardly played football since before the coronavirus pandemic and couldn’t even topple Cooper Rush for the Cowboys’ QB2 job in 2023. The NDSU alumnus is firmly on track to effectuate the “bust” label, and most believe he’s there already.
Interestingly, trading for Lance last offseason could’ve worked for Minnesota. Cousins was lost for the season in late October, and the Vikings embarked on a mighty carousel involving Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall. Lance could’ve been fun, rest assured.
However, now is the time for Minnesota to discover tangible QB1 solutions, perhaps days away from bidding Cousins adieu. Trading for Lance on a flyer, with the mindset to plug him in as QB1, just doesn’t move the needle for life after Cousins.
In Dallas last season, Lance didn’t take a single snap. It was a shutout. The bad part for Lance is career trajectory. He’s started four NFL games since entering the league in 2021. In fact, he hasn’t played a full football season since 2019 at North Dakota State — five years ago. Most believe he merely needs starts and playing time to determine if his lofty draft stock from three years ago was legitimate.
Exploring a Lance trade for backup duties is fine. But the QB1 plan in the Twin Cities should involve a firm recommitment to Cousins or the selection of a 1st-Round quarterback in the draft. Or both.
Anything else, including a Lance reclamation project, would be half-measured.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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