I am looking forward to seeing JJ McCarthy play but I feel it is going to get ugly early. The game day threads should be glorious! If the team loses which almost everyone is predicting, then the “season is over” crowd will be out in full force and with fairly good reason. I will not give up hope though. The margins will be slim going forward and there will not be room for many more losses. It might be a must win tomorrow.
I thought the Vikings would be looking for a Cornerback since Okudah has had two concussions this season. I am not sure if there is anyone out there that is worth it though if you go by PFF grades. You do not really want to give up a decent pick for an impending free agent either. If the season continues going south then any player brought on board may want to go elsewhere next year.
I would not mind seeing the team take a run at Defensive Tackle T’Vondre Sweat of the Titans who might be available.
A couple of trade ideas below that I like is for Russell Wilson and especially Logan Wilson.
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Tom Pelissero talks Vikings trade buzz and where Kirk Cousins fits in
“Kwesi’s always working the phones. Always trying to figure out what the opportunities are, not just to acquire, but also to potentially trade and pad what you have for draft capital in 2026 and beyond, so I would fully anticipate that that’s going to continue to happen. I don’t get the sense that anything is down the road or inevitable,” Pelissero told Vikings.com’s Tatum Everett.
“There’s a lot of other teams that are in the playoff mix right now that are targeting a receiver, targeting edge, targeting corner. Kwesi’s kind of open in terms of there’s a lot of different positions that you could use help. Now, the other thing that happens in the game before the trade deadline is, injuries can happen, and that can completely change the calculus here,” Pelissero continued.
But he doesn’t think Minnesota is on the verge of anything big, though injuries could change that.
“In terms of the big swing moves, I don’t see them going out and making a massive type of acquisition. But if there’s an edge that’s available that makes sense, I could see them having interest in that market. If there’s a quarterback, a veteran, and I’m not talking about the guy in Atlanta,” Pelissero said.
“Right now, I don’t believe that they’re going to go out and get Kirk Cousins and try to have him ride back in, even though I believe that he’d be very open to coming back, even as the No. 2. I don’t get that sense. But listen, you’ve got a very young room right now with J.J. McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and then they just signed John Wolford to come in on the practice squad. Somebody else who’s played, just to give J.J.McCarthy another hand and somebody who’s had experience, much like Carson Wentz was. I could see them being open to that. But again, at this point, I would not say anything is down the road. I just know that Kwesi’s definitely, I would say top five in the league in terms of, talking to other GMs and you hear, ‘Well, Minnesota called.’ That’s his mentality.”
The trade deadline arrives on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Logical trade targets if the Vikings decide to buy before the trade deadline
Here’s what the Vikings have in the 2026 draft cupboard:
1st round
2nd round
3rd round
Projected 3rd round comp pick (for losing Sam Darnold)
5th fround (from Philadelphia via the Sam Howell trade)
6th round (from Indianapolis via the Mekhi Blackmon trade)
7th round
7th round (from Houston via the 2024 Cam Akers trade)
7th round (from Carolina via the Adam Thielen trade)
Las Vegas Raiders: Eric Stokes
Stokes would be a sizable upgrade at cornerback for the Vikings, who lack depth behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. Stokes shouldn’t cost a ton because he’s on a one-year, $3.5 million contract. There’s no guarantee that he re-signs with the Raiders, so Vegas might be smart to trade him now, rather than losing him for nothing in free agency.
Out of 123 cornerbacks who have played at least 90 snaps this season, Stokes ranks 42nd in PFF grade. Jeff Okudah, the Vikings’ current CB3, ranks dead last and is now dealing with a concussion. Stokes has allowed 10 receptions on 19 targets for 123 yards. Quarterbacks have a 72.9 passer rating when throwing into his coverage, which puts him among the top 30 in the NFL this season.
Miami Dolphins: Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Matthew Judon
Chubb, Phillips and Judon would could be upgrades over Dallas Turner on the edge. But does Minnesota really want to trade for an edge rusher when Andrew Van Ginkel is about to return to the lineup? It’s only a need if Van Ginkel is expected to miss more time.
Phillips: 3 sacks, 32 pressures, PFF’s 15th-ranked pass rusher at EDGE
Chubb: 3 sacks, 21 pressures, PFF’s 101st-ranked pass rusher at EDGE
Judon: 0 sacks, 5 pressures, PFF’s 116th-ranked pass rusher at EDGE
Breer is hearing that it could take a third-round pick to get Phillips.
New Orleans Saints: Alontae Taylor
Taylor would be an upgrade in the cornerback room, but Breer says the Saints are asking for a second or third-round pick for him. The 2022 second-round pick is due to become a free agent, so it would only make sense for Minnesota to give up a quality draft pick for him if they can sign him to an extension.
According to PFF, Taylor has the 31st-best coverage grade among cornerbacks, putting him just ahead of Jets star Sauce Gardner.
New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux
Mike Garafolo reported this week that the Giants are telling interested teams no, but Thibodeaux appears to be the odd man out in New York with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter starting on the edges. He’s under contract through 2026, so it might take a Day 2 pick to get him. Should the Vikings offer a third-rounder next year to shore up the edge?
Washington Commanders: Noah Igbinoghene
Igbinoghene might be the player that makes the most sense for Minnesota because he’d only cost them a late-round draft pick. He’s a player who was on the field for 75% of Washington’s snaps last season, but roster changes have led to him spending most of this season on the bench, having played a total of 40 defense snaps in 2025.
The issue here is that he’s best-suited for the slot, and the Vikings need someone who can fill the void of Okudah on the outside.
Minnesota Vikings eyeing a cornerback at the trade deadline
One of the positions the Vikings need to find a long-term solution for is cornerback. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported on Friday that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback.
“As for buyers, the Vikings and Colts are among a list of teams looking for corners. That market isn’t rich with options, which could make the Rams (McCreary), Browns (Tyson Campbell) and Eagles (Michael Carter II) look smart for striking a little earlier.”
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback to help them out, especially with Jeff Okudah being both ineffective and injured. They haven’t shown a willingness to trust Dwight McGlothern as of yet, and finding a player at the position to fortify with Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. should make a difference, especially when it comes to playing man coverage.
The key here is finding a cornerback whom the Vikings can trade for. There aren’t a lot of options, especially with four cornerbacks having already been traded. Two that come to mind are Riq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks and Alontae Taylor of the New Orleans Saints.
Woolen has fallen out of favor with the Seahawks over the last couple of seasons with Mike Macdonald at the helm. He is currently starting for the Seahawks, but he doesn’t seem to be in their long-term plans. He would provide the necessary size and speed the Vikings need at the cornerback position.
Taylor is more of a slot cornerback, which the Vikings have been hesitant to add with wanting to slide Murphy on the inside. Even so, he’s a versatile piece that could end up being a huge benefit for the Vikings.
The deadline is going to be huge for the Vikings, and it could give them a necessary piece to help the defense both short-term and long-term.
Vikings Trade Prediction Lands 10-Time Pro Bowl Quarterback
The Vikings lost backup quarterback Carson Wentz for the season due to a shoulder injury, and Minnesota’s backups are now rookie Max Brosmer on the roster and veteran John Wolford on the practice squad. USA Today’s Jacob Camenker predicts that the Vikings will trade for New York Giants backup quarterback Russell Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler who has seen better days.
“That could lead the Vikings to buy low on Wilson,” Camenker wrote. “It wouldn’t be to install him as a starter, but it would provide McCarthy with a veteran sounding board as he looks to establish himself as Minnesota’s quarterback of the future.”
“The Giants should be willing to part with Wilson on the cheap, and the Vikings would only have to take on a prorated version of the 36-year-old quarterback’s $2 million salary for the 2025 season,” Camenker added.
…
NFL Analyst Weighs In on Playoff Hopes With J.J. McCarthy
While the jury is still out on McCarthy with just two regular season games, former NFL running back and current NFL analyst Rashad Jennings sees good things coming for the Vikings with McCarthy eventually.
“Not sure if it’s going to happen this year,” Jennings said during Good Morning Football on Friday. “When you talk about the NFC North, … they’re at the bottom, and they’re at the bottom with a really good team up top, and that’s good teams and that’s being the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.”
“I don’t know if it’s enough juice over there to take them over that hump,” Jennings added.
Sources: Cincinnati Bengals Willing to Move Veteran Ahead of NFL Trade Deadline
The Bengals are open to trading veteran linebacker Logan Wilson, multiple league sources have confirmed.
Wilson, 29, requested a trade earlier this month after rookie Barrett Carter took his place in the Bengals’ starting lineup. He has 47 tackles in eight games.
2025 NFL trade deadline: 11 player-team fits that make sense
Kirk Cousins Atlanta Falcons · QB TO Minnesota Vikings 3-4 · 4th in NFC North
Minnesota is the only fit for Cousins at this stage. The 37-year-old quarterback did his trade value no favors with Sunday’s outing against Miami. The Falcons haven’t shown much interest in dealing the QB, but as the season spirals, perhaps they’d change gears, especially with only five draft picks in 2026 at the moment. The Vikings aren’t exactly flush with assets to ship for an aging quarterback, but with Carson Wentz’s injury and J.J. McCarthy struggling to stay on the field, would they really risk flushing the season? Cousins played some of his best football under Kevin O’Connell, and perhaps the QB-friendly offense could bring him back to life. If McCarthy can’t stay healthy, the options are grim in Minnesota.
2025 NFL trade deadline: Which teams should add, subtract?
Minnesota Vikings
Notable trade candidates: RB Aaron Jones Sr., LB Ivan Pace Jr.
Down their fourth-round pick in next year’s draft (but with a third-round compensatory pick on the way and handful of late-round picks to make up for it), the Vikings might also want to follow in Houston’s footsteps to make up for some of the aggressive moves they made in the past. The Vikings had only five picks in 2025, and at 3-4, they haven’t looked like a team that can make a deep playoff push this season.
They’ll obviously hope to improve after getting second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy back from his ankle injury, but the defense has been surprisingly lacking for coordinator Brian Flores. The Vikings had the second-best defensive performance of the season by EPA per play against Jake Browning and the Bengals in September and otherwise rank 25th by the same metric against everyone else, down from second a year ago.
Moving on from Jones might be more about saving money than anything else. He is owed just over $1 million in 2025 and has $2 million of his $10 million compensation in 2026 guaranteed, a deal the Vikings are likely to move on from this offseason. Would a team like the Chargers be willing to essentially pay $3 million to have Jones in its lineup for the rest of 2025? Pace, who has fallen out of the starting lineup and played just 17 defensive snaps over the past two weeks, is a restricted free agent after the season.
Week 9 Vikings score predictions for J.J. McCarthy’s return vs. Lions
Will Ragatz: Lions 31, Vikings 16
Until proven otherwise, I’m going to assume that Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the rest of the Lions’ offense will put up at least 30 points on the Vikings, because that’s what’s happened in each of the last five meetings between these teams. Brian Flores, specifically, is 0 for 4 on figuring out how to slow down this Detroit attack (and to be fair, he’s not alone in that).
Joe Nelson: Vikings 31, Lions 30
I had a dream of Justin Jefferson scoring a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. It had people wondering what else Kevin O’Connell has in his “bag,” and yes, J.J. McCarthy threw the ball in my dream. Can I see the future? If it happens, call me Joestradamus, because McCarthy has the mobility to extend plays and give Minnesota’s offense a lift. I can see him picking apart Detroit’s defense, especially if All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph is ruled out with an injury. It’s time for the Vikings to begin their rise, and it’ll come with a statement victory in Detroit.
Tony Liebert: Lions 34, Vikings 30
Jonathan Harrison: Lions 34, Vikings 14
It’s going to be a third straight loss, and their fourth in their last five games, for the Vikings this weekend. The last time we saw McCarthy, he wasn’t good. Yes, the Falcons have surprisingly made a lot of QBs look bad this season. However, I’m finding it difficult to put together reasons why McCarthy will come out of the gates, after a long layoff due to injury, and suddenly be competitive against a Lions defense that is top 10 in points and yards allowed. They’re also tied for the fifth-most sacks in the league this season. Minnesota’s offensive line is the walking wounded at this point and likely won’t be whole the rest of the season. Detroit runs away with this one and sends the Vikings into the trade deadline as firm sellers.
NFL Expert Picks: Vikings Visit Lions in Week 9 for NFC North Clash
Lions 31, Vikings 20 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
Lions 36, Vikings 22 – Bill Bender, Sporting News
Lions 34, Vikings 17 – Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
0 of 5 experts pick the Vikings, NFL.com
0 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, Bleacher Report
0 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The MMQB
0 of 9 experts (2 of 11 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, ESPN
0 of 6 experts pick the Vikings, USA Today
0 of 6 experts (1 of 7 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, The Athletic
Thought from The Athletic’s J.J. Bailey:
While Minnesota isn’t mathematically out of the playoffs, the Vikings recent struggles have dumped them into the NFC’s Better Luck Next Year bin. Their division is a two-horse race between Super Bowl candidates. The NFC West looks to have three teams headed for the postseason. Add that all up, and the Vikes have a lot of bodies to climb over if they want to see January football.
They desperately need an upset in a game like this, and the oddsmakers are clearly telling them, “Too bad.” Minnesota opened as an 8.5-point dog in Detroit, and that has widened to a 9-point spread on some books. The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer at quarterback, a duo responsible for 49 NFL passes.
The Lions just dismantled the Bucs, then took a week to rest up, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the spread widened to 10 by the end of this sentence.
Can J.J. McCarthy redeem the Vikings’ decisions? If not, the fallout could get
If, as Wayne Gretzky said, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take, Minnesota is in danger of becoming the NFL’s Exhibit A.
When you lead the league in cash spending ($343 million in 2025) and have already lost more games before Halloween than you did in the entire 2024 regular season, there will be plenty of second-guessing, both from inside and outside the franchise’s state-of-the-art training facility.
Daniel Jones May Force Vikings into Awful Spot in NFL History
Douglas Clawson of CBS Sports brings up a situation that the Vikings don’t want to be a part of regarding their past QBs, Jones and Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks). If Jones and Darnold both earn Pro Bowls and start in the 2025 playoffs, the Vikings will be the first team in NFL history to see two QBs leave in the same offseason to accomplish this the following year.
“You couldn’t have scripted a worse situation for the Vikings — and now they’re on the verge of making the wrong kind of history. Minnesota could become the first team in NFL history to lose two quarterbacks in the same offseason who both go on to start playoff games the following year. No team has ever lost two quarterbacks in one offseason who each made the Pro Bowl the next season”
This next post is my kind of post. Very positive and delusional.
How the Vikings can shock the world and pull off an upset over the Lions
Stop the run
For the Vikings’ defense, everything has to start with finding a way to stop the run. It’s been an issue all season; Minnesota is allowing the eighth-worst EPA per rush in the NFL. Bijan Robinson, Kenneth Gainwell, Quinshon Judkins, and Kimani Vidal have run all over Brian Flores’ group.
Vikings (3-4)
After finishing 14-3 last year, the Vikings decided to let Sam Darnold leave the team in free agency and that’s a decision that has been haunting them ever since. The Vikings have struggled this year and a lot of those struggles have been directly related to their QB play. With Vikings sitting under .500, it’s hard to imagine this team getting to the playoffs this year, especially when you consider that they still have to play two games against the both the Lions and Packers. They also have to travel to Seattle to face Darnold and the Seahawks.
Remaining strength of schedule: .555
Games left vs. teams above .500: 6 (Seahawks, Bears, Lions x 2, Packers x 2)
Predicted final record: 6-11
YORE MOCK
Trade Partner: CardinalsSent: Pick 39, Pick 113Received: Pick 44, Pick 189…Trade Partner: BengalsSent: Pick 78, Pick 212Received: Pick 74…Trade Partner: JaguarsSent: Pick 97Received: Pick 117, Pick 153…
Pick 13. Caleb Downs S Ohio State 6’0” 205Pick 39. A’Mauri Washington DT Oregon 6’3” 330Pick 74. Gennings Dunker OT Iowa 6’5” 315Pick 117. Chris Johnson CB San Diego State 6’0” 185Pick 138. Anthony Smith EDGE Minnesota 6’6” 285Pick 153. Logan Jones OC Iowa 6’3” 305Pick 189. Eric McAlister WR TCU 6’3” 205Pick 230. J’Mari Taylor RB Virginia 5’9” 204Pick 231. Eric Gentry LB USC 6’6” 225Pick 233. Jalen Huskey S Maryland 6’2” 201Pick 235. Josh Moten CB Southern Miss 6’0” 185Pick 254. Diego Pavia QB Vanderbilt 6’0” 207
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