The Minnesota Viking signed Carson Wentz to be J.J. McCarthy's backup, but he was also an insurance policy for the young signal-caller in case the unproven McCarthy struggled in his first season as a starter.
However, the Vikings no longer have the Wentz option after he aggravated his shoulder injury in Week 8 that led to season-ending surgery.
With Wentz on the shelf for the remainder of the campaign, the Vikings are very thin at quarterback, with rookie Max Brosmer on the 53-man roster and veteran John Wolford, who hasn't thrown a pass in three years, on the practice squad.
That has led many to believe the Vikings could swing a trade at the deadline for a veteran quarterback, and according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, that is a move Minnesota could make before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
"If that was Minnesota's thought process before the season, sources believe it would be the same now, with the Vikings still needing an experienced veteran backup quarterback for J.J. McCarthy," Schefter reported.
"League sources believe Minnesota still could make a move for a quarterback by Tuesday's deadline," Schefter added.
Schefter mentions the Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins and the New York Giants' Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as potential options.
Winston is the most attractive option of the three, seeing as how he's cheap, under contract through 2026 and offers the most upside as compared to Wilson and Cousins, both of whom are clearly on the decline.
Another issue with Cousins is his contract, which still has a sizeable amount of money left on it. The Falcons haven't shown any willingness to eat any of that money, based on reports, so that could lead the Vikings to balk at acquiring him.
The one positive with Cousins is he would transition back to Minnesota seamlessly thanks to his experience in head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense.
Wilson is a slightly more attractive option than Cousins because of his smaller contract that is up after this season.
The Vikings are still very much in the playoff hunt at 3-4 entering Week 9 and they should absolutely be exploring veteran quarterback options, but a loss on Sunday to the Detroit Lions would push them to 3-5 and that could change things.
NFL Trade Rumors