Just a couple of weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings were walking on clouds, undefeated, and sitting atop the NFC North. Now, fresh off consecutive losses, they had to give up valuable draft capital to get back on track.
So-called quarterback whisperer Kevin O'Connell couldn't fix Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz, so he went right back to a familiar face. The Vikings sent a third-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders to get their hands on whatever's left of Kirk Cousins.
While watching a divisional rival trade for a starting quarterback should usually be a problem, this isn't intimidating in the slightest. If anything, it's further confirmation of what we already knew: The Lions broke the Vikings.
Losing to the Lions may have forced the Vikings to make a move
The Vikings' offensive struggles have been brewing for a while, but the first loss of the season was the straw that broke the camel's back. Justin Jefferson, usually joyful, left the building without addressing the media, and he's been visibly frustrated since.
So, after another offensive no-show, the Vikings' front office worked overtime to get a starting-caliber signal-caller back in the fold. That move reeks of desperation, not to mention that it leaves the Vikings in a terrible spot for the future.
They already gave up on the injury-prone J.J. McCarthy, who actually looked solid in the Big Apple before yet another freak injury. Clearly, this trade means they won't bring Kyler Murray back, and Carson Wentz... Well, he is who he is.
They can always bring back Cousins for another year, but where does that leave them? He wasn't any good in Atlanta, and he was just average in Las Vegas. He's not the player he used to be, and if they couldn't get it done in his prime, their chances won't be much better this season.
The Vikings are clearly going all-in now, hoping that Brian Flores' defensive expertise can lead them to the big game. That's noble and all, but it's also wishful thinking and short-sighted, and they will be right back in the quarterback market in no time.
It's funny and crazy how fast things can change in this line of business. One day, you're the top team in the division, undefeated, and looking unstoppable. Two weeks later, you're trading valuable draft capital to get a 38-year-old quarterback whom they refused to pay when he was three years younger.
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