Minnesota Vikings Starting Quarterbacks

Surprise. The Minnesota Vikings are making a change at quarterback. The offense has struggled through eight games. The eighth game was an especially difficult watch. A change had to be made and the Vikings made that change at Tuesday’s Trade Deadline. Kirk Cousins was acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2027 third-round pick. Cousins is back in Minnesota. I’d be surprised if he isn’t starting immediately. That would be Sunday against the Green Bay Packers on the shit turf of Lambeau Field. The last time he started a game for the Vikings was in 2023 against the Green Bay Packers on the shit turf of Lambeau Field. He tore his Achilles on that shit Lambeau turf. That injury and the Vikings hope for a franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft were reasons for his departure after that 2023 season. Since the injury to Cousins and his Minnesota departure, the Vikings have started a few quarterbacks.

Jaren Hall

Josh Dobbs

Nick Mullens

Sam Darnold

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Kyler Murray

When Cousins went down with that injury, backup quarterback Nick Mullens was recovering from an injury of his own. Fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall was the only healthy quarterback on the roster. The Vikings scrambled and added Josh Dobbs in a trade. Hall started that first game, left early with a concussion, and Dobbs was forced to the field on a couple days of preparation. Dobbs went on a miraculous run, won a few games, and then fell back to earth. Mullens started the final three games of a sad season that had great promise before Cousins popped an Achilles on the shit Lambeau turf. 

Without Cousins:

2023: 9 games, 3 QBs

There was a couple games of magic from Josh Dobbs. That was fun. Then it wasn’t so fun. Jaren Hall wasn’t ready for the NFL and he had to start two games. Nick Mullens finally got on the field for the final few games with season basically over. He was always a fun quarterback. Gunslingers often are. The fun plays come with a few “WTF” throws. 

2024: 17 games, 1 QB

Ah, it’s nice to have some quarterback consistency. Sam Darnold started all 17 games and the Vikings were 14-3. Unfortunately, Darnold’s worst games were the final two games and the Vikings were immediately booted from the playoffs. The Sam Darnold narrative has become quite annoying. He was good in 2024. There were moments and some games he was very good. There were also a few games he really wasn’t very good. Those games seem forgotten as his narrative continues to be re-written. When the Vikings moved on from Darnold after the 2024 season, there weren’t as many critics of the move as there are now. The Vikings had to see what they had in J.J. McCarthy. 

2025: 17 games, 3 QBs

Quarterback injuries turned the 2025 season into a disaster. J.J. McCarthy’s first season as a starter had no chance for consistency. He managed to start 10 games but three injuries took him off the field three times. He’d start a couple games, miss a couple games, start a few games, miss some more. Carson Wentz started five games before landing on injured reserve. Like Jaren Hall before him, undrafted Max Brosmer wasn’t ready for the NFL and had to start two games. Despite the quarterback injuries and resulting inconsistency, the Vikings somehow managed a 9-8 record. 

2026: eight games, 3 QBs

Through eight games, 2026 has been a lot like the end of 2023 and all of 2025. All three quarterbacks have played. Kyler Murray was signed in the offseason to compete with J.J. McCarthy and was eventually named the starter. Fine. Like McCarthy last year, an injury mucked up any chance for Murray to develop early consistency. He suffered a concussion several plays into the first game. Carson Wentz finished that game and started the second. Murray returned in Week 3 and has never looked comfortable. He was injured in the seventh game and Wentz started the next game. That game was brutal. Thanks to a ridiculous defense, the Vikings are 6-2 despite a far below average offense. The offense has to get better and the Vikings had to do something. That something was trading for Kirk Cousins. 

Thanks to the defense, it’s been said many times this season that the Vikings have a contending team with just competent quarterback play. From 2018-23, Kirk Cousins was consistently better than competent. He’s a few years older than that now. He’s rarely been the sort of quarterback that carries a team but he’s always been the sort of quarterback that can make a good team much better. That’s the hope now. 

All this talk and thoughts of the Vikings current quarterback situation has me thinking about the team’s difficult quarterback history. There’s been one franchise quarterback in franchise history. Fran Tarkenton. He’s in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He retired as the holder of every career passing record and held those records longer than any quarterback ever has. Tarkenton retired after the 1978 season and the Vikings are still looking for his franchise quarterback successor. Nearly 50 years. Some day. Hopefully soon. In Vikings franchise history, 47 quarterbacks have started at least one game. 

47 starting quarterbacks. Here are those quarterbacks.  

1961:

George Shaw (4)

Fran Tarkenton (10)

1962

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1963:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

1964:

Fran Tarkenton ((14)

1965:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1966:

Fran Tarkenton (12)

Ron Vander Kelen (1)

Bob Berry (1)

1967:

Joe Kapp (11)

Ron Vander Kelen (3)

1968:

Joe Kapp (14)

1969:

Joe Kapp (13)

Gary Couzzo (1)

1970:

Gary Couzzo (12)

Bob Lee (2)

1971:

Gary Couzzo (8)

Bob Lee (4)

Norm Snead (2)

1972:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1973:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1974:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Berry (1)

1975:

Fran Tarkenton (14)

1976:

Fran Tarkenton (13)

Bob Lee (1)

1977:

Fran Tarkenton (9)

Bob Lee (4)

Tommy Kramer (1)

1978:

Fran Tarkenton (16)

1979:

Tommy Kramer (16)

1980:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Steve Dils (1)

1981:

Tommy Kramer (14)

Steve Dils (2)

1982:

Tommy Kramer (9)

1983:

Steve Dils (12)

Tommy Kramer (3)

Wade Wilson (1)

1984:

Tommy Kramer (9)

Wade Wilson (5)

Archie Manning (2)

1985:

Tommy Kramer (15)

Wade Wilson (1)

1986:

Tommy Kramer (13)

Wade Wilson (3)

1987:

Wade Wilson (7)

Tony Adams (3) - replacement games

Tommy Kramer (5)

1988:

Wade Wilson (10)

Tommy Kramer (6)

1989:

Wade Wilson (12)

Tommy Kramer (4)

1990:

Rich Gannon (12)

Wade Wilson (4)

1991:

Rich Gannon (11)

Wade Wilson (5)

1992:

Rich Gannon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1993:

Jim McMahon (12)

Sean Salisbury (4)

1994:

Warren Moon (15)

Sean Salisbury (1)

1995:

Warren Moon (16)

1996:

Warren Moon (8)

Brad Johnson (8)

1997:

Brad Johnson (13)

Randall Cunningham (3)

1998:

Randall Cunningham (14)

Brad Johnson (2)

1999:

Jeff George (10)

Randall Cunningham (6)

2000:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2001:

Daunte Culpepper (11)

Spergon Wynn (2)

Todd Bouman (3)

2002:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2003:

Daunte Culpepper (14)

Gus Frerotte (2)

2004:

Daunte Culpepper (16)

2005:

Daunte Culpepper (7)

Brad Johnson (9)

2006:

Brad Johnson (14)

Tarvaris Jackson (2)

2007:

Tarvaris Jackson (12)

Kelly Holcomb (3)

Brooks Bollinger (1)

2008:

Gus Frerotte (11)

Tarvaris Jackson (5)

2009:

Brett Favre (16)

2010:

Brett Favre (13)

Tarvaris Jackson (1)

Joe Webb (2)

2011:

Donovan McNabb (6)

Christian Ponder (10)

2012:

Christian Ponder (16)

2013:

Christian Ponder (9)

Josh Freeman (1)

Matt Cassel (6)

2014:

Matt Cassel (3)

Teddy Bridgewater (12)

Christian Ponder (1)

2015:

Teddy Bridgewater (16)

2016:

Shaun Hill (1)

Sam Bradford (15)

2017:

Sam Bradford (2)

Case Keenum (14)

2018:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2019:

Kirk Cousins (15)

Sean Mannion (1)

2020:

Kirk Cousins (16)

2021:

Kirk Cousins (16)

Sean Mannion (1)

2022:

Kirk Cousins (17)

2023:

Kirk Cousins (8)

Jaren Hall (2)

Josh Dobbs (4)

Nick Mullens (3)

2024:

Sam Darnold (17)

2025: 

J.J. McCarthy (10)

Carson Wentz (5)

Max Brosmer (2)

2026:

Kyler Murray

47 Quarterbacks:

George Shaw

Fran Tarkenton

Ron Vander Kelen

Bob Berry

Joe Kapp

Gary Couzzo

Bob Lee

Norm Snead

Tommy Kramer

Steve Dils

Wade Wilson

Archie Manning

Tony Adams - replacement games

Rich Gannon

Sean Salisbury

Jim McMahon

Warren Moon

Brad Johnson

Randall Cunningham

Jeff George

Daunte Culpepper

Spergon Wynn

Todd Bouman

Gus Frerotte

Tarvaris Jackson

Kelly Holcomb

Brooks Bollinger

Brett Favre

Joe Webb

Donovan McNabb

Christian Ponder

Josh Freeman

Matt Cassel

Teddy Bridgewater

Shaun Hill

Sam Bradford

Case Keenum

Kirk Cousins

Sean Mannion

Jaren Hall

Josh Dobbs

Nick Mullens

Sam Darnold

J.J. McCarthy

Carson Wentz

Max Brosmer

Kyler Murray

All Of The Trades

The NFL Trade Deadline was Tuesday. A splash of dealing on deadline day pushed the total number of trades to 18. Here are this year’s in-season trades.

J.J. McCarthy, QB: Minnesota Vikings -> New York Giants

Joey Porter Jr., CB: Pittsburgh Steelers -> Dallas Cowboys

Cam Jurgens, C: Philadelphia Eagles -> Baltimore Ravens

Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals -> Houston Texans

Quenton Nelson, G: Indianapolis Colts -> Seattle Seahawks

DeForest Buckner, DT: Indianapolis Colts -> San Francisco 49ers

Jeffery Simmons, DT: Tennessee Titans -> Chicago Bears

Jacoby Brissett, QB: Arizona Cardinals -> Baltimore Ravens

Jessie Bates III, S: Atlanta Falcons -> Jacksonville Jaguars

Davon Godchaux, DT: New Orleans Saints -> Jacksonville Jaguars

Andre Cisco, S: New York Jets -> Detroit Lions

Jordan Davis, DT: Philadelphia Eagles -> Jacksonville Jaguars

Keenan Allen, WR: Indianapolis Colts -> San Francisco 49ers

Amani Hooker, S: Tennessee Titans -> Buffalo Bills

Kirk Cousins, QB: Las Vegas Raiders -> Minnesota Vikings

Daiyan Henley, LB: Los Angeles Chargers -> Denver Broncos

Josh Downs, WR: Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis Colts -> Kansas City Chiefs

The busy deadline day ended with a final, classic player for player trade:

Andrew Vorhees, G: Baltimore Ravens -> Atlanta Falcons

Ryan Neuzil, C: Atlanta Falcons -> Baltimore Ravens

The 18 trades was just reduced to 17 trades when the Broncos deal with the Chargers for Daiyan Henley “will not be finalized.” The Broncos reportedly found an issue with Henley’s knee during the physical. This was one of the deadline day deals that stood out to me. I believed that Henley could really impact an already solid Broncos defense.

So, 17 trades.

The biggest and best deadline day trade was the Minnesota Vikings acquisition of Kirk Cousins. It’s been exhaustively repeated that the Vikings only need average quarterback play to be contenders. Despite a 6-2 start, the quarterback play has only occasionally touched average. It’s been a problem. It’s assumed that Cousins will be the answer. The only in-season quarterback change that worked for me was one that involved a quarterback with experience in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. Cousins played for the Vikings from 2018-23. The final two of those six years was in O’Connell’s offense. A trade for Kirk Cousins was the only quarterback trade that worked for me. Despite being 38, his play has always been well above average. The Vikings could use well above average. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars aggressively improved their defense:

Jessie Bates III, S

Jordan Davis, DT

Davon Godchaux, DT

Jaguars general manager James Gladstone clearly learned from his time with the Los Angeles Rams. “F’them picks.”

The Indianapolis Colts were the biggest sellers. They dealt a bunch of their “stars:”

DeForest Buckner, DT

Quenton Nelson, G

Josh Downs, WR

Keenan Allen, WR

While the Colts were actively dealing, they did keep two of their most attractive trade targets:

Daniel Jones, QB

Jonathan Taylor, RB

The Colts added a bunch of needed draft picks but they didn’t replace the first-round pick they sent away last year when they were buyers on deadline day. 

Now, it’s back to the regular season and this week’s games. We’ll see how many of the new players play for the new teams. 

He’s Back!

Through eight games, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback play ranged from modest to horrible. It’s been shocking to see as there are talented play-makers spread across the offense. The pitch-and-catch should never be a struggle with this offense. There’s simply too much talent to look so feeble. The worst of the shaky quarterback play was Monday night against the Buffalo Bills. With a 6-2 record, talented playmakers, and a special defense, the Vikings had to do something. The current quarterback play was going to keep an otherwise very talented team from contending. A possible solution was found in a player the team knows well. On NFL Trade Deadline Day, the Vikings acquired Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Trade

Minnesota Vikings receive:

Kirk Cousins, QB

Las Vegas Raiders receive:

2027 3rd round pick

The disappointing play of the Vikings quarterbacks had triggered a lot of chatter among media and fans about the need to trade for another one. I wasn’t sold on such a move. It’s difficult to drop a player into a football team and expect that player to hit the ground running in a new scheme with new teammates. Some positions are a bit easier for a player to assimilate into a new team. Quarterback isn’t one of them. I didn’t believe a quarterback without previous experience in Kevin O’Connell’s offense had a chance at improving this struggling Vikings offense. The only quarterback that could potentially hit the ground running in Minnesota was Kirk Cousins. If the Vikings couldn’t acquire him, a trade for another wasn’t worth the gamble. Praying for improvement from Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer felt, to me, a better option than forcing a new quarterback into a simplified offense. Cousins was the only option and the Vikings got it done. A third-round pick was a reasonable price for a quarterback that might save the season.

Many talking heads have talked incessantly that the Vikings only need average quarterback play to be contenders. Through the first six games, it looked like they might even be able to contend with below average quarterback play. That’s how special their defense can be. Consecutive frustrating losses to the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills showed that what they had wasn’t enough. Kirk Cousins was with the Vikings from 2018 to 2023. Through those six seasons, he consistently led a very productive offense. He was at his very best in 2023. He looked completely comfortable in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. That came to an end when Cousins tore his Achilles on the shitty Lambeau turf. The first game of his second stint as the Vikings quarterback might be on that same shitty Lambeau turf. The Vikings play the Packers on Sunday.

I didn’t like the idea of the Vikings adding a quarterback in the middle of the season. Perhaps what I hated the most was that the Vikings had to add a quarterback in the middle of the season. Watching Carson Wentz on Monday night flipped me to the other side of his quarterback quandary. The Vikings had to do something outside of what they already had at quarterback. Nothing was working. Because of his past Minnesota experience, Kirk Cousins was the only option for me. I’m glad, and relieved, that the Vikings could get the deal done. It was also for less than I had expected. I figured it might take a second-round pick or a third- and a Day 2 pick. Now, I’m getting excited about the possibilities. I’m seeing passes on time to a wide open Justin Jefferson. He’s always wide open. I’m seeing Jordan Addison stretching the field. I’m seeing T.J. Hockenson moving the chains. Most importantly, I’m seeing the Vikings offense as a reason for some of the wins. That fantastic defense shouldn’t have to do everything. And they should never again spend over 40 minutes of a game on the field. 

Welcome back Kirk Cousins. 

Vikings - Bills

What the hell was that? 

That might’ve been the worst game by a quarterback in league history. The Minnesota Vikings have had some contenders for that dishonor in recent years. Carson Wentz was terrible against the Buffalo Bills. I’m not sure what got into him as I’ve never seen Wentz play so poorly. Receivers were open. He was just missing them. High, low, wide, wherever. He threw two interceptions and it could easily have been more than twice that. The Vikings offense was so bad that it’s pointless to break it open for reasons why. 

The Bills won easily 23-6. 

The margin would’ve been far worse if it wasn’t for the defense. The best group on the field last night was the Vikings defense. If there was ever any hope for the Vikings winning this game, it was going to come from singular defensive plays. They almost got one of those plays in the second quarter from Andrew Van Ginkel sacked Bills quarterback Josh Allen at the Bill two-yard line. Van Ginkel forced and recovered the fumble. It was ruled Vikings ball on the field. Replay reversed it. To win this game, the Vikings needed some scores from the defense and/or special teams. Unfortunately, they didn’t get those scores. Despite an inept offense, the Vikings defense kept this a one-score game, at 13-6, until 6:17 remained in the game. For that game-clinching touchdown, the Bill needed a little more help from the officials. On a fourth-and-one from the Vikings 38-yard line, the on-field officials ruled that Allen was stopped short of the yard to gain. Replay flipped it. Thanks to the Vikings defense, nothing was easy for the high-scoring Bills offense. 

Even the slightest help from the offense, the Vikings win this game. The defense was that good. If the offense was even a quarter of the defense, the Vikings are 8-0. The defense has been that good and the offense has been that bad. Like last week against the Detroit Lions, defense showed some cracks the end of the game. In both games, the Vikings defense was on the field too damn much. The Bills held the ball for 42:32 of the game. That’s an insane number and reflects a pathetic offense. 

Where do the Vikings go from here? Many have honked about acquiring a quarterback before today’s trade deadline. I believe these honkers are ignoring the difficulty of dropping a new quarterback into a new offense in the middle of the season. It’s tough enough to incorporate a new defensive lineman or a new receiver during the middle of weekly game preparation. Hell, the Vikings tried adding a new quarterback during the season just two years ago. It didn’t go well. Josh Dobbs may have brought some excitement with off-structure plays but was benched after five games. His first two games were frustrating and fun. His last two games were just frustrating. So, what do the Vikings do about their pathetic quarterback play? The receivers are routinely open. The protection is mostly sound. So, it doesn’t seem to be the playcalling. Being new to the offense, it was going to take some time for Kyler Murray to get comfortable. Missing the first two games didn’t help that process. He was quite inconsistent in the five games after he came back from that early concussion. I’d take that inconsistent play over Wentz’s game last night. I still don’t understand his play last night. His floor has always been above average. There’s always been a splash of inaccuracy to his game. Like many gunslingers, an occasional pass goes high or wide. If the Vikings were to lose a game with Wentz on the field, I wouldn’t expect it to be because of his play. What happened? It’s so puzzling. I don’t want to see it again so I’d be real hesitant in starting him again. I’m hoping Murray has a quick and clean recovery from that hamstring injury. Absent that, I’d turn to Max Brosmer against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. 

It doesn’t matter now but I wish that the Vikings hadn’t traded J.J. McCarthy earlier this season. I didn’t like the trade when it was made. I really don’t like it now. Anyway, I learned decades ago that my thoughts and hopes for the Vikings are mine alone. No matter how hard I try or how much time I commit, my opinions have no impact. I just have to hope for the best and keep believing. That’ll never change no matter how many Carson Wentz performances I see. 

Buffalo Bills All - Time Team

The Minnesota Vikings host the Buffalo Bills tonight. It’s a game between teams with the best records in the league. 6-1 vs 6-1. The Bills have a modest but fun history. They’ve had a couple stretches of dominance. The Bills were an original American Football League team. They won AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. They went to and lost four consecutive Super Bowls from 1990-93. As long as they have Josh Allen, they should be consistent contenders. On the morning of the big game, here’s a look at some of the best players in Buffalo Bills franchise history. 

Offense

Quarterback

Jim Kelly

Running Back

Thurman Thomas

Fullback

Cookie Gilchrist

Wide Receivers

Andre Reed

Stefon Diggs

Tight End

Ernie Warlick

Offensive Tackles

Stew Barber

Jason Peters

Offensive Guards

Billy Shaw

Joe DeLamielleure

Center

Kent Hull

Defense

Defensive Ends

Bruce Smith

Ron McDole

Defensive Tackles

Tom Sestak

Fred Smerlas

Linebackers

Mike Stratton

Darryl Talley

Cornelius Bennett

Cornerbacks

Butch Byrd

Antoine Winfield

Safety 

George Saimes

Henry Jones

Special Teams

Kicker

Steve Christie

Punter

Brian Moorman

Kick Returner

Terrence McGee

Punt Returner

Keith Moody

Flea Flicker Week 9 Predictions

It’s on to Week 9. Here are guesses at the games.

Byes: Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers 

Buffalo Bills @ Minnesota Vikings

Pick: Vikings

The Vikings start another win streak against the Bills on Monday Night. It’d be a fine time for the Vikings offense to get their shit together.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Atlanta Falcons

Pick: Bengals

Weren’t the Falcons the talk of the league about three weeks ago?

Dallas Cowboys @ Indianapolis Colts

Pick: Cowboys

Rematch of Super Bowl V. Same outcome.

New York Jets @ Kansas City Chiefs

Pick: Chiefs

The Chiefs get back to their winning ways.

Detroit Lions @ Miami Dolphins

Pick: Lions

After a tough game against the Vikings, the Lions get a week off in Miami.

Cleveland Browns @ New Orleans Saints

Pick: Saints

Tyler Shough and the Saints light up the Browns defense. 

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles

Pick: Giants

It continues to look like the Eagles have quit. 

Los Angeles Rams @ Washington Commanders

Pick: Rams

The Rams continue the climb out of the hole they dug.

Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers

Pick: Panthers

The Panthers stun the Broncos.

Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Chargers

Pick: Texans

When a team needs to get right, play the 2026 Los Angeles Chargers.

Green Bay Packers @ New England Patriots

Pick: Patriots

Rematch of Super Bowl XXXI. Different outcome.

Las Vegas Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers

Pick: 49ers

The Raiders get humbled by their former neighbor.

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks

Pick: Seahawks

The Seahawks rebound from their rough night against the Chicago Bears.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Chicago Bears

Pick: Bears

Baker Mayfield will have to complete a pass in this game. 

Dream Minnesota Vikings Trade Deadline Bounty

The NFL Trade Deadline is Tuesday. After much internal debate, here are my dream acquisitions for the Minnesota Vikings.

Dream

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Mo Alice-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Moro Ojomo, DT, Philadelphia Eagles

Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals

This is only a dream for, at least, a couple of reasons. The Vikings can’t afford to spend the draft picks that would be needed to acquire the above players. They also probably wouldn’t be able to manage the necessary magic to fit the contracts under the salary cap. Oh well, one can dream. 

More Realistic Options

#1

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

If the Vikings decided to take one big swing, I believe that they could work a trade for Jonathan Taylor. I don’t like the idea of giving up the first-round pick that the Colts are rumored to be seeking. Maybe the rumored demands will come down a bit on deadline day. I’ve wrestled with the Vikings need to upgrade at running back. When both are healthy, I like the backfield combo of Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason. Unfortunately, one or the other always seems to be ailing. Jones has a knee injury that could hinder his play the rest of the season. Even at their healthiest best, neither is quite the back that Taylor is. He’s also 27. Taylor could be a critical part of the Vikings offense for a few years beyond this one. I still question the cost. It’s one of those deals that I’d love if it happened and not hate if it didn’t. 

#2

Mo Alie-Cox, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins

I believe that the Vikings will make at least two trades. My realistic guess at those trades is the above. The loss of tight end Josh Oliver for the regular season with a torn bicep was huge. There isn’t a tight end in the league that is Oliver’s match as a blocker. Mo Alie-Cox is closer to that level than anyone currently on the Vikings roster. I believe that he’d be a solid addition. Adding any player to the Vikings defense in the middle of the season is a difficult task. There’s so much on-field communication, so much nuance. Zach Sieler has some prior experience with Brian Flores. Like Kyle Van Noy earlier this season, that prior experience will help Sieler quickly, maybe even seamlessly, fit into the Vikings defensive scheme and line rotation. I also like the veteran addition to the Vikings young defensive line. 

#3

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins 

Why not go with one big trade and one solid, perhaps responsible, trade?