Vikings Have 4 Major QB Trade Rumors Right Now
One can tell it’s the offseason in the NFL because Minnesota Vikings trade theories are hot and heavy, especially at quarterback.
Vikings Have 4 Major QB Trade Rumors Right Now
In all likelihood, despite incessant quarterback trade rumors, Minnesota will roll with J.J. McCarthy at QB1 in 2025, and that’ll be that.
But to keep folks abreast of the Vikings quarterback trade rumor mill, here’s the skinny, with theories listed in no particular order.
1. Sam Darnold Franchise Tag-and-Trade
By far the most realistic trade option for the purple team, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could slap the franchise tag on Darnold and ship him elsewhere.
The problem? Darnold’s would-be trade value plummeted in the season’s final two games after he turned into a pumpkin. Before the collapse, some believed the Vikings could grab a 2nd-Rounder or so via franchise tag-and-trade.
Now, that’s in doubt.
However, there’s still a world where Adofo-Mensah pulls it off, tagging Darnold and trading him to a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, or New York Giants for a mid-round pick.
The caveat? This one could be risky because if no trade materialized, Minnesota would be “stuck” with Darnold at a $40 million price point.
2. J.J. McCarthy to Browns, Raiders, or 49ers
ESPN Radio host Paul Hembekides floated an idea last week, suggesting the Vikings should onboard quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Cleveland Browns. Watson, in theory, would become a Viking while also nabbing pass rusher Myles Garrett from Cleveland, who requested a trade.
“What if the Minnesota Vikings are able or willing to take on the Deshaun Watson contract as well? So, you get out from under Deshaun, you trade away a franchise quarterback, and you make it a two-for-one instead. How, how much, how badly do you wanna get rid of the Deshaun Watson anchor?” Hembekides asked his show co-hosts.
Yes, his idea was swapping J.J. McCarthy for Myles Garrett and Deshaun Watson.
Bleacher Report recently floated a McCarthy trade to Las Vegas. And something called “The Wright Way Sports Network” published an article with a headline insinuating that McCarthy to the San Francisco 49ers for Brock Purdy is already a done deal.
Classic clickbait.
3. Matthew Stafford to Vikings
Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly, recently got in front of a microphone and seemed to endorse a Stafford trade out of Los Angeles, irked by Los Angeles’ plans to trade Cooper Kupp this offseason.
“I wasn’t planning on discussing this, but hell, why not? My husband wants to win, he’s not trying to put a team in a bad situation, if you’re catching my drift … you’re catching my drift. Trading away Cooper, I’m confused. We were one play away from going to the NFC championship, and I think if we go, we win,” Kelly Stafford said on a podcast late last week.
Kelly added, “I have to be the dog in the situation. I want the respect that he deserves. I love the city of LA, with that being said, I love an adventure. Right now, if the Rams decided that they wanted to trade him, or Matthew decided he didn’t want to play for the Rams, I’m good. I would move my family. Yeah, that might be tough. First month, hard. After that, turns out, I like my kids to learn how to be resilient.”
Going to bat for her man, pretty standard, right? Yes — and then some began daydreaming about Stafford on the Vikings’ roster. They decided Minnesota could be Stafford’s next employer, mainly because of Stafford’s connection to Kevin O’Connell from 2021 with the Rams.
4. Aaron Rodgers to Vikings (Trade or FA)
ESPN’s Adam Schefter officially sparked the Rodgers-to-Minnesota rumor mill this week.
“My guess would be that he ends up playing,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show Monday. “He’s gonna want to continue playing. I would guess he’ll want to do it at a place that wants him. Here’s a guy that, I think he’s made more money than any NFL player in history right now. So that gives him the ability to sit back and be selective about what he does and doesn’t want to do.”
Then, he delivered the Vikings tidbit. “It’s a fluid, moving thing. Is Minnesota gonna lose Sam Darnold, or are they gonna bring him back?” Schefter rhetorically asked.
It’s unclear how Rodgers would get to Minnesota — free agency or trade — but this theory made its rounds on social media Monday.
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 Vikings 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.