NFL trade deadline: 5 reasons why the Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t acquire a quarterback

The Minnesota Vikings have raced out to a 5-2 record, which is a much better start than most fans would have predicted. They’re in the thick of a tightly packed NFC playoff race, and should possibly look at adding to their team at the trade deadline. However, quarterback is not an area that should be tampered with, and we have five main reasons why. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

As FanSided and others have covered in recent weeks, rumors have run wild about the Vikings and their possible interest in a veteran quarterback. Before their Week 8 game, there was a story that the team was on the verge of completing a trade for Los Angeles Rams veteran Matthew Stafford. This would have been a shortsighted transaction, especially with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings.

The story of former MLB player Wally Pipp comes to mind, who was replaced by Lou Gehrig due to injury and was largely never heard from again. If Minnesota was to acquire a passer before the trade deadline, it would crowd the Vikings quarterback room once McCarthy returned to the team in 2025. The former Michigan quarterback might not have the same type of rope to develop.

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While the plan for was for McCarthy to start Week 1 before he hurt his knee in the preseason, some time away as a rookie might actually be a good thing. He gets to sit, watch and hopefully learn in his first year in the NFL. However, sitting for two seasons would be a drastic course change for the Vikings, who drafted him with the 10^th overall pick.

Not much was made of the Vikings’ signing of Darnold this summer, who was meant to keep the seat warm for McCarthy. However, Darnold has stepped in and played the most consistent football of his NFL career. In fact, NBC News has taken things a step further, calling Minnesota a Super Bowl contender thanks to Darnold.

Rohan Nadkarni of NBC News wrote about the journeyman status Darnold has achieved in his NFL career, but notes that discarded quarterbacks can find a home later in their career. Nadkarni looked no further than Detroit, where the Lions are thriving with Jared Goff, a passer that the Los Angeles Rams decided was no longer in their future plans.

Since Darnold has played so well, it wouldn’t make sense to rock the boat by pulling him midseason, or to have him look over his shoulder after proving he’s more than capable of leading the team.

Darnold isn’t the only individual on the Vikings who has improved his stock during the 2024 campaign. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has received rave reviews for his work this season, navigating through an unexpected injury situation with McCarthy by guiding Darnold to new career heights.

Darnold told ESPN, “I love playing for Kevin. He’s been everything to me. He’s helped me so much in my short time here. I’m glad I made the decision to come here. He’s definitely a special coach.”

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The Athletic’s Dianna Russini said, “Countless coaches and execs have paid attention to what O’Connell has accomplished. One opposing defensive coach said ‘I’d trust KOC more than anyone in our league to get the most out of his quarterback.’” With such glowing reviews and positive results, O’Connell wouldn’t need a trade deadline acquisition at quarterback to get his team over the hump.

Sports Illustrated threw cold water on the notion that the Vikings should trade for a quarterback at the deadline. They essentially said that there are many other areas that Minnesota could focus on in an effort to improve their team during the second half of the NFL season. This makes a ton of sense, given that draft capital is not unlimited; it’s important for them to accurately assess their needs.

During their Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Vikings lost left tackle Christian Darrisaw for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. It’s an enormous loss for Minnesota, and they will need to come up with a way to fill that position in order to protect Darnold in the pocket. Trading for another proven tackle would be a smart idea.

USA Today believes that Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Cam Robinson could be on the move before the deadline. They believe that he would be a great fit with the Kansas City Chiefs. While that would make a great team even stronger, Robinson would also be an exemplary acquisition for the Vikings.

We’ve already discussed why bringing a quarterback in now would be a bad thing for Minnesota, given Darnold’s current success and McCarthy’s impending return to the lineup in 2025. However, there’s another timing aspect that would make it a bad idea for Minnesota to trade for a passer at this point in time.

Even if Minnesota traded for a quarterback who was previously familiar with O’Connell’s system, it would take time for that person to come in and learn the nuances of this specific Vikings attack. The quarterback would not have any previous chemistry with the receivers, and there would be a learning curve taking place on the fly.

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It would not make sense for the Vikings to take one step back in order for the prospects of taking two steps forward. The NFC North is too strong of a division this year, and Minnesota would likely lose ground that would be difficult to make up later in the year.