The Minnesota Vikings are in a grim place ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Star quarterback Kirk Cousins sustained a torn Achilles in the team’s Week 8 victory over the Green Bay Packers and will miss the remainder of the season.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins sustained torn Achilles, will miss remainder of season. pic.twitter.com/iizqLEFr3N
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2023
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will have to scramble for a new man under center, but he has many choices.
An intriguing name among the lengthy list of options is Jameis Winston. The backup for the New Orleans Saints currently has the third-highest odds to be the next quarterback the Vikings acquire, per BetOnline.ag.
Why Jameis Winston Makes Sense
Winston is the perfect option for Minnesota’s emergency quarterback pickup because the 29-year-old’s style of play fits right in with the Vikings’ high-flying air attack. Minnesota currently averages the second-highest passing yards per game with 280.5. Winston, excluding his 2020 and 2023 seasons, has averaged 260.3 passing yards per game in his career.
With the Vikings rostering premier pass-catchers such as Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, and T.J. Hockenson, having a quarterback like Winston who can throw the ball at a high volume will be necessary to potentially replicate the offense’s success under Cousins.
Another reason the Vikings need a high-volume passer like Winston is their lack of a competent run game. Minnesota averages the second-lowest rushing yards per game in the league with 73.3 and has just one rushing touchdown all season.
Relying on the run game and a rookie quarterback will be impossible for Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings need a quarterback they can count on to throw the ball 30 to 35 times a game. Jameis Winston, who averaged 35 pass attempts per game during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, fits that mold.
While it makes perfect sense for the Vikings to acquire Winston, a factor that may complicate things is Winston’s current team. The Saints will have all the leverage in a trade scenario; they could place a high price tag on their backup quarterback or refuse to trade him altogether.
Regardless, the Vikings will have an intriguing day ahead of them. Sitting at 4-4 and without their starting quarterback for the season, they must decide their course of action. They have until Tuesday’s 4 p.m. EST trade deadline to make a move.
If the Vikings want to keep their season alive, trading for Jameis Winston could be their best shot.
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