With the QB Logjam in Place, Do the Vikings Pull Off a Trade?
K. Joudry
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As it stands, the Vikings’ QB room is looking pretty crowded.
Sam Darnold is the current QB1 while J.J. McCarthy is the future QB1. Behind those two are Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall, passers who each got starts, got benched, and worked through injury with the Vikings in 2023. Do all four of these quarterbacks stick around on Minnesota’s roster throughout the offseason?
How do the Vikings Solve the QB Logjam?
There’s a case to be made that keeping all four QBs is the best route.
An unfortunate reality in football is that players get hurt. Need an example? Just look back to Minnesota’s QB turmoil in 2023. All of Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall needed time in the infirmary. One could argue that the QB chaos was the critical factor behind Minnesota’s underwhelming 7-10 record.
The thinking, then, is that it’s possible the logjam gets solved simply because players need to step away to get back to full health. Losing a quarterback is always difficult to overcome, but the task is easier if there’s already good talent in house.
More likely, though, may be a trade.
Neither Mullens nor Hall are stupid. Both have been paying attention to what’s going on and both understand that their roster spots are somewhat precarious. Of the two, Hall appears to have the better chance of sticking around. The 5th-round selection from 2023 mirrors McCarthy by also being a touch undersized and by having some good athleticism. In a perfect world, the pair will be Minnesota’s long-term QB1 and QB2.
As a result, there’s a chance that Mullens gets moved.
Does a team like the Las Vegas Raiders have interest? Before journeying over to Minnesota, Mullens called Sin City home (if only for a short while). LV failed to snag a promising passer in RD1, so they could be open to reuniting with the veteran who is still only 29.
The Raiders, of course, aren’t alone in the desire for improving the quarterback spot. Plenty of NFL teams would welcome a well-respected veteran who can either be a bridge option or a strong backup. Mullens is a good player, so one wonders if the Vikings could scoop up a Day 3 pick for his services.
Moving Mullens would (probably) give the man himself a clearer path toward playing time. And then the Vikings could snag another pick while recouping some cap space in the process. Win all around?
Of course, the manner in which we’re discussing the situation is an oversimplification. Pulling off a trade is a classic situation of needing two to tango. If there’s little interest in either Mullens or Hall, then a swap isn’t going to happen.
What is certain, though, is that the Vikings have a crowded quarterback room. Carrying four QBs into the season is very unlikely to happen, so this is a situation to monitor.
The final stretch of the 2024 NFL Draft — Rounds 4 to 7 — take place later today.
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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.