Well, that was ugly.
Carson Wentz went 8-of-25 for 81 yards and two picks in Monday night’s 23-6 loss to Buffalo. His 2.3 QBR was the worst by any quarterback this season, and he got yanked late for Max Brosmer.
Now the Vikings are 6-2, have lost two straight, and have until 4 p.m. ET today to do something about it.
Kyler Murray is week-to-week with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and might not be ready for the Packers in Week 10. So who’s actually taking the next snap for Minnesota? No sportsbook has a market up on this, so we built our own. If you want to see where real NFL lines are posted, check our best NFL betting sites and apps.
Vikings Next Starting QB Odds
| Quarterback | Current Team | Odds | Implied Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Wentz | Vikings | +150 | 40.0% |
| Kirk Cousins | Raiders | +200 | 33.3% |
| Kyler Murray | Vikings | +400 | 20.0% |
| Max Brosmer | Vikings | +800 | 11.1% |
| Mac Jones | 49ers | +1400 | 6.7% |
| Daniel Jones | Colts | +2000 | 4.8% |
| Geno Smith | Jets | +2500 | 3.8% |
| Jameis Winston | Giants | +4000 | 2.4% |
| Field | N/A | +5000 | 2.0% |
Odds as of Tuesday morning, Nov. 10. This is for the Vikings’ next starting quarterback (Week 10 vs. Green Bay). They are Mr. Gamble projections and aren’t available at sportsbooks.
Why This Is Even a Conversation
The defense is legit. Brian Flores has this group playing like the best unit in the league, and that’s basically the only reason Minnesota is 6-2.
The offense? Not so much. The Vikings are scoring 17.4 points a game (28th) and rank 31st in EPA per play. Monday was the third time this year they didn’t score a touchdown.
Murray and Wentz have combined for 1,379 passing yards and eight TDs in eight games. Kirk Cousins has 2,340 yards and 20 TDs in nine starts for the Raiders by himself. Yeah.
Kevin O’Connell punted on the trade question after the game and said he’d defer to GM Nolan Teasley. Jordan Schultz reported this morning that the belief around the league is Minnesota will try to get something done, and James Palmer said Teasley’s been working the phones like a madman.
Carson Wentz, +150
He’s the favorite mostly by default. If nothing happens by 4 p.m. and Murray’s hamstring isn’t ready, Wentz is probably your Week 10 starter.
To be fair, he wasn’t awful before Monday. He came off the bench in Week 1 and led a 28-point run in a win over Green Bay, then started a Week 2 win over Chicago. He had three TDs and zero picks in those two games.
But Monday was rough enough that we wouldn’t be shocked if O’Connell looks elsewhere even without a trade.
Kirk Cousins, +200
The obvious one. He knows the building, knows the playbook, and knows Justin Jefferson. And he’s actually playing well in Vegas, mostly. He did throw three picks in Sunday’s 38-17 loss to the 49ers.
The money works too. His base salary was reworked down to $1.3 million, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The Raiders also have a $10 million option bonus due in March they’d probably love to get off the books, and No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is waiting behind him.
The catch: Adam Schefter reported the Raiders hadn’t gotten any calls on Cousins as of the weekend and aren’t interested in moving him. Las Vegas is 4-5 and still thinks it can make a run.
Price-wise, NFL Blue Book’s Charles Robinson thinks a third-round pick gets it done. Other sources told Yahoo’s Jori Epstein it’s more like a fourth or fifth, maybe with conditions. That’s cheap for a contender.
He’s 38, and this would be a little weird. We still think he’s the most likely outside name by a mile.
Kyler Murray, +400
O’Connell has said IR was never on the table, and the team keeps saying it’s high on Murray. If the hamstring cooperates, he could be right back out there.
The problem is a Grade 2 strain usually takes longer than a week. And Murray hasn’t exactly lit it up when healthy. We’re not ruling him out, but we wouldn’t bet on him for this week.
Max Brosmer, +800
He finished Monday’s game and went 6-of-7 for 58 yards. It’s a small sample, but it was the best QB play Minnesota had all night.
That said, he had zero TDs and four INTs as a rookie last year. If he’s starting Week 10, things have gone really sideways.
The Rest of the Board
Mac Jones (+1400): Probably the best long-term fit of the trade names. His deal runs out after this season, so Minnesota could grab his rights heading into free agency. But the 49ers aren’t giving up their backup unless they get blown away.
Daniel Jones (+2000): Tom Pelissero reported the Colts told Jones on Saturday they won’t trade him. He’s also got six TDs and 10 picks this year and a big contract. Hard pass.
Geno Smith (+2500): The Jets have reportedly said no to teams calling about him.
Jameis Winston (+4000): Fun idea, but J.J. McCarthy just left Sunday’s game with a hip injury, so the Giants need him. Plus, a former Viking going for an ex-Viking backup? Too much.
Field (+5000): Justin Herbert’s name keeps popping up, but Schefter says the Chargers aren’t moving him. Shedeur Sanders has also gotten some buzz. Neither feels realistic today.
When Will We Know?
Today. The deadline hits at 4 p.m. ET, so any trade has to be done by then.
If Minnesota stands pat, the next tell is Murray’s practice reps this week. If he’s limited, it’s Wentz (or maybe Brosmer) against the Packers.
Our take: if a deal happens, it’s Cousins. And honestly, for a third- or fourth-round pick, we’d be surprised if Teasley doesn’t at least try.
The Vikings also show up on our board for Jonathan Taylor, another way they could try to fix this offense before the deadline.
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Odds and implied probabilities reflect our own handicapping for informational and entertainment purposes only, not a licensed sportsbook market. Gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
