The Minnesota Vikings must sort out their quarterback depth after acquiring Kirk Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders at the NFL trade deadline.
Minnesota sent a 2027 third-round pick to Las Vegas for the 38-year-old veteran, who is expected to start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The deal leaves the Vikings with four signal-callers: Cousins, Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the backup spots.
“What the Vikings do at backup quarterback will be fascinating,” Fowler wrote. “Either Murray or Wentz can serve as QB2. There’s also the option to release one or place one on injured reserve.”
Fowler added that an injured-reserve move would not require a fabricated injury. “Murray already has an injury, and Wentz appeared to hurt his throwing hand Monday night,” he wrote.
Murray has completed 100 of 154 passes (64.9 percent) for 1,022 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions across six appearances this season. Wentz completed only 8 of 25 passes (32 percent) for 81 yards and two interceptions in Monday’s 23-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills, posting an 8.9 passer rating.
The Vikings released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Tuesday to create roster space for Cousins. The move underscores their willingness to adjust personnel as they chase a division title and a playoff run.
Placing either Murray or Wentz on injured reserve would sideline that player for at least four weeks while preserving the roster spot. Minnesota could then activate him later if needed, or leave him on IR for the rest of the regular season if Cousins remains healthy.
If both veterans are healthy enough to dress Sunday, the team could keep all three and release Brosmer. The 25-year-old has served as the third quarterback since the September trade of J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants. Brosmer would need to clear waivers before Minnesota could re-sign him to the practice squad.
The Vikings entered the season expecting Murray and Wentz to provide stability after dealing McCarthy. Instead, both have struggled to move the offense consistently, prompting the deadline push for a familiar face in Cousins, who previously played for Minnesota from 2018 to 2023.
Cousins completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine starts with the Raiders. His arrival is intended to stabilize an offense that has scored 16 points or fewer in five of eight games.
Teams contending for the postseason typically prioritize quarterback depth, and Minnesota appears inclined to retain as many options as possible rather than cut a veteran outright. An IR placement for one of the injured backups would allow the Vikings to keep three quarterbacks active without exposing anyone to the waiver wire immediately.
Murray is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is considered week-to-week. Wentz’s hand issue adds another variable as the staff evaluates availability for the Packers game.
For now, the focus remains on integrating Cousins and deciding which of the existing veterans will serve as the primary backup. The outcome will shape Minnesota’s depth chart heading into the second half of the season.
