A Path to a Superstar QB Could Be Opening for Minnesota
The Minnesota Vikings have had to deal with subpar quarterback play all season long. J.J. McCarthy has been more liability than asset, Carson Wentz is a backup for a reason, and Max Brosmer didn’t look like he had played quarterback before.
A Path to a Superstar QB Could Be Opening for Minnesota
With four games remaining, the future of Minnesota’s QB position is unclear. McCarthy has four more games to prove his worth, but he’ll likely get some competition next spring. Short-term solutions like Joe Flacco, Mac Jones, or even old friend Kirk Cousins have been floated in the rumor mill, but why not take a big swing?
Usually, star quarterbacks aren’t available. It’s the single most valuable asset a franchise can have, and parting ways with an elite passer certainly isn’t on anyone’s wishlist. However, one signal-caller could put himself on the trade block, and that’s Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow.
Just a week ago, a Burrow trade seemed highly unrealistic, but the first overall pick of the 2020 Draft gave a press conference on his birthday. He certainly sounded melancholic.
He said, “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it. You know, I’ve been through a lot. And if it’s not fun, what am I doing it for? I’m not sure there was a singular moment or time. It’s just reflection.”
“Reflection on a lot of things that I’ve done and been through in my career, I think. You know, I’ve been through more than most, and it’s certainly not easy on the brain or the body, so I’m just trying to have fun doing it again. There’s just a lot of things going on right now. A lot of things going on right now.”
Asked if he was referring to football or his personal life, Burrow replied, “All of the above.”
Of course, speculation broke out immediately. The Bengals are not known for particularly taking care of their star players. They paid his top weapons, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but totally failed to form any semblance of a respectable defense. Just last year, the Bengals missed the postseason despite having an elite offense because they just couldn’t score 40 every week.
Quarterbacks of that caliber are never available. Matthew Stafford was probably the closest thing in recent years. He was traded in 2020, but Burrow has played at an even higher level. The off-field problems overshadowed Deshaun Watson’s trade. He had also not played in the season prior to the trade. Russell Wilson also comes to mind, but he wasn’t the same guy he used to be.
Burrow has only played in four games this year due to a severe toe injury, but in those games, he threw for eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Last year, he led the league with over 4,900 yards and 43 touchdowns, helping Chase to the triple crown. If you think Justin Jefferson is unhappy with this year’s quarterback play, imagine what he could do with his college passer.
Injuries certainly have been a concern for Burrow. In his rookie year, he suffered a torn ACL, but he came back like nothing happened, immediately leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl. In 2023, he suffered a hand injury, and Jake Browning had his big season.
Including this year’s issues, he has three seasons with 16 or more games on his resume, and three others with ten or fewer games.
Still, he’s 29 years old and has the football smarts and the accuracy that it’s fair to expect his game to age gracefully, even if he eventually loses some mobility.
He wants to have more fun, though. Perhaps playing with a respectable offensive line (for the first time in his NFL life), as well as a bunch of receivers and a decent offensive-minded head coach could help. The Vikings also have a defense that would prevent his elite play from going to waste.
The QB signed a massive five-year, $275,000,000 contract a couple of years ago. Cincinnati would eat $91 million in dead cap hit if the QB1 were traded. That’s the most significant hurdle — well, besides the fact that the Bengals would have to be willing to trade away a legit MVP talent.
What could a trade look like?
The Vikings would certainly have to give up at least two first-round picks, including April’s potential top-ten pick. Furthermore, add a couple of day two picks — perhaps both second-rounders in the next two drafts, too. Then Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would throw in J.J. McCarthy, and the Bengals might ask for some defensive piece. That could even be Dallas Turner, who has looked like a stud over the last month.
The risk is obvious. It would cost the Vikings about four valuable draft picks and a promising defensive piece. For one of the oldest teams in the league, that’s not an easy pill to swallow. On the flip side, the Vikings are good enough to be an immediate contender with that kind of quarterback upgrade.
There will be other suitors, but the Vikings should obviously monitor the situation and offer the farm to acquire the disgruntled superstar.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.