Former Vikings QB Flips Over to the Jets
K. Joudry
|
Well, the news probably isn’t what a lot of Vikings fans have been waiting for, but it’s at least somewhat notable.
Trevor Siemian — a former Vikings employee from back in 2018 — is latching on with Robert Saleh’s crew in New York. Presumably, the veteran will be tasked with helping as a backup, but Zach Wilson’s performance is far from inspiring. Seeing Siemian get some snaps for the Jets won’t be altogether surprising.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter delivers the word: “Jets are planning to add to their QB room: Veteran QB Trevor Siemian is signing with the Jets, pending a physical, per sources.”
In all likelihood, the most important thing Siemian will offer New York is a veteran’s calm and intellect. He has worked for Denver, Minnesota, New Orleans, Tennessee, Chicago, and Cincinnati. He has thus had the opportunity to share a QB room with players like Peyton Manning and Kirk Cousins, not a bad pair when it comes to understanding the game at a high level.
The Jets will be hoping to squeeze some of that knowledge out of the veteran, better equipping the beleaguered Wilson to find some success.
A Former Vikings QB Joins the Jets
The conspiracy theorists may participate in some purple dot connecting.
Before onboarding Aaron Rodgers, the Jets made a concerted effort to bring in some of his former teammates to ensure he was comfortable. Is New York doing something similar as they prepare for a run at Kirk Cousins? Let’s not forget that their offense boasts Tyler Conklin and Dalvin Cook (which is to say nothing of also having Chazz Surratt, Ifeadi Odenigbo, and Jalyn Holmes in the house).
The reality, though, is that the Siemian deal is likely one that exists in isolation. The team brought in a veteran to help out the game’s most important position. Full stop.
Nearing his 32nd birthday, Trevor Siemian has seen a lot. He has played in 35 NFL games, starting 30. The stats are fairly bland: he completes 58.9% of his passes and has 7,027 yards to go alongside his 42 TDs and 28 INTs. No one is mistaking him for Manning (or Cousins, for that matter).
Again, though, that’s not the point. Siemian’s value rests in his capacity to be a great brain and mentor. If called upon, he can step into the game and do a better job than a lot of other options. Coaches value that kind of player.
Meanwhile, the Cousins trade rumors are unlikely to go down without a fight, especially if the Vikings continue losing. We’ve already seen names like Kyle Rudolph, Adam Schefter, and several others join the trade speculation that’s never too far behind #8.
For now, Vikings fans will need to content themselves in the reality of a Cousins backup bringing his talents to the Jets. In time, perhaps, Cousins could follow, but I’m not holding my breath.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.