Questions Answered: The Wildest Trade for Vikings, Kwesi Extension, Murphy or Bynum?
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the February 5th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: The Wildest Trade for Vikings, Kwesi Extension, Murphy or Bynum?
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: In the spirit of the Luka Doncic trade in the NBA, what would be a Vikings trade kind of like that?
Answer: Probably Justin Herbert to the Vikings for J.J. McCarthy.
Angry about flaming out of the postseason in Year No. 1, head coach Jim Harbaugh pressures his bosses to ship Justin Herbert to noted quarterback whisperer Kevin O’Connell in exchange for his college quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who he loves.
The Vikings’ 2025 cap space vanishes, but beyond the shadow of a doubt, the purple team has the QB1 spot nailed down for the next decade while McCarthy and Harbaugh transfer their Michigan glory to the pros.
Either Herbert for McCarthy — or Justin Jefferson to Cleveland for a package including Myles Garrett would be our Doncic comp.
Neither idea will happen, but those two would invoke Doncic-trade similarities, at least per shock value.
Q: What’s taking so long on Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s extension while Kevin O’Connell already got his?
Answer: They just take time.
NFL Network’s Tom Peliserro tweeted on January 21st, “The Vikings and coach Kevin O’Connell have agreed to terms on a multi-year contract extension, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. This was Minnesota’s priority and conversations started immediately after the season. Still only 39, O’Connell isn’t going anywhere.”
Pelissero let that bombshell sink in for one minute — one actual minute — and retweeted the same tweet with more clarity, “Conversations also are underway on an extension for Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Minnesota is 34-17 since they took over in 2022 and the plan is to keep the braintrust together.”
Adofo-Mensah’s deal will get done, but we do agree that it is a wee bit odd that O’Connell’s happened right away in the offseason, with Adofo-Mensah waiting a few more weeks.
Q: Would you rather have Byron Murphy back or Camryn Bynum if it were an either-or choice?
Answer: Byron Murphy by a mile.
It’s easier to find productive safeties than cornerbacks. For that reason and it alone, we’d prioritize Murphy over Bynum if Minnesota cannot have both.
Take the money saved on a Bynum extension and pursue safety Jevon Holland from the Miami Dolphins, who has previous ties to defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.