Vikings Rumor Rundown: DeAndre Hopkins, a Justin Jefferson Trade, The Battle Winner
The Minnesota Vikings’ rumor mill is a constantly breathing beast, and this weekend it lassoes a wide receiver, a trade, and the projected winner of the summer quarterback competition.
The rumors will continue until training camp and beyond, so here’s a look at the latest.
The Hopkins Reunion Angle Still Has a Pulse
Rumor: Despite signing Jauan Jennings in May, DeAndre Hopkins remains an option for the Vikings.
This one came from CBS Sports. Brad Crawford wrote last week, “The Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs are three potential fits for Hopkins, all of which have been discussed by the former first-round pick at some point this offseason. Joe Burrow is one quarterback Hopkins said he would enjoy playing with during an interview with Sports Illustrated.”
“In Minnesota, Hopkins would reunite with former Arizona Cardinals teammate Kyler Murray. The pair played three seasons together from 2020-22, hooking up 17 times for touchdowns over that stretch.”
TMZ asked Hopkins about Murray and the Vikings in March, and he replied, “Kyler — that’s my boy, man. Kyler is like family. I talked to Kyler throughout the year last year. I talked to Kyler after, you know, his situation in Arizona. Kyler’s like family, man.”
“I would always, you know, embrace that journey with him. He’s on a one-year deal? Whatever I can do for what someone like that — if Kyler need me he know I’m there, if the Vikings need me they know I’ll be there.”
Minnesota doesn’t really need a WR3 or WR4 at the moment — Jennings basically solved all WR questions — but Hopkins on an affordable contract would assuredly excite fans.
Rumor: Justin Jefferson could grow disgruntled and request a trade.
Another CBS Sports special, Garrett Podell sized up prominent NFL stars who could ask for a trade in the near future. Sadly, Jefferson pulled down a nomination.
Podell wrote, “Prediction on whether or not Jefferson will eventually ask for a trade: Yes, by the 2028 NFL offseason. The McCarthy-Murray competition will fail to bear long-term fruit at football’s most important position, leaving Jefferson dissatisfied entering the final season of his four-year, $140 million deal in 2028.”
“Out of guaranteed money, Jefferson will be looking for a new, multiyear deal at the age of 29, but he’ll aim to get his next batch of guaranteed cash elsewhere. Compensation to get the deal done: First-round pick and third-round pick. It’s a similar package to the one the Patriots used to acquire Brown from the Eagles, but instead of a fifth-round pick, Minnesota gets a third-round draft choice since Jefferson doesn’t come with the same attitude and fluidity questions.”
Randy Moss left the Vikings after seven seasons in 2005. This year is — checks notes — Jefferson’s seventh season.
“Likely landing spot: Las Vegas Raiders. It’s hard to project how the NFL landscape will look years down the road, but the Raiders make plenty of sense for a multitude of reasons,” Podell continued.
“Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will need a true WR1 to complement All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, and Las Vegas has shown a willingness to trade for a superstar wide receiver at the back of the end their 20s: The Raiders traded a first-round draft choice and a second-round draft choice to the Green Bay Packers in 2022 in exchange for a 29-year-old Davante Adams.”
Rumor: Kyler Murray will win the Vikings’ QB1 competition, per NFL.com.
Nick Shook of NFL.com investigated which NFL players could most improve this season, citing Murray as a top contender. Along the way, he declared QB1 projection for the Vikings: “Murray’s shift from Arizona to Minnesota isn’t quite the discovery of an oasis, but it’s certainly a better situation for the former No. 1 overall pick than the one he inhabited in the desert.”
“After dealing with injuries and logging just five games in 2025, Murray is now playing under quarterback expert Kevin O’Connell and has the privilege of throwing passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and T.J. Hockenson in a stable offensive scheme that helped Sam Darnold post a career year in 2024.”
If Darnold could explode in the Twin Cities, so can Murray — is the idea here.
“Yes, he’s going to win the job over J.J. McCarthy, and I believe he’ll form a beautiful partnership with O’Connell, the coach of a team that is a reliable quarterback away from a return to the playoffs. Expect Murray to become that quarterback and rebuild his reputation along the way,” Shook concluded.
Most Vikings fans, too, agree that Murray will take home the QB1 bacon.
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