The Minnesota Vikings are 6-0, the last unbeaten team standing in the NFC, after a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. So... why does nobody seem to care? Vikings fans are excited, of course. Wins are wins, and the more you've got, the better your odds at winning a Super Bowl. Another important factor in any Super Bowl pursuit, however, is a competent offense.
Minnesota came into Sunday's showdown ranked 27th among NFL teams in yards per game (283.0). The Vikings generated 275 yards of total offense against the Colts, with quarterback Kyler Murray only responsible for 150 passing yards. Murray looks like a shell of himself; he can still scramble and play smart football, but he's just not the explosive playmaker of old. Minnesota desperately needs to spice up their attack.
This Vikings-49ers trade lands Minnesota a potential needle-mover in Mac Jones
The Vikings are well-stocked in terms of NFL Draft capital, with two third-round selections in 2027. That should ease any front office anxieties when it comes to trading a second-round pick for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones.
That probably feels like a steep price. Jones is a multi-year backup at this point and he has spent the entire 2026 campaign behind Brock Purdy. He's also on a one-year deal, so there's not much security — for him or Minnesota — beyond this season.
On the other hand, Jones was exceptional in relief of an injured Purdy last season. He completed 69.6 percent of his throws for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in 11 appearances (eight starts). The Niners were 5-3 with Jones under center, eventually punching their ticket to the playoffs.
Why the Vikings should consider a dramatic quarterback change
Simply put, Minnesota's offense is not good enough to contend.
There's no real excuse either. Kevin O'Connell has called plays for plenty of explosive offensive teams in the past. The Vikings don't lack skill players either. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the NFL. T.J. Hockenson is a premium tight end. Aaron Jones Sr. is an accomplished and productive running back. The offensive line needs some fine-tuning, sure, but there are better QBs thriving with far less support.
Murray's dual-threat skill set is unique and his minimum contract is a boon for the Vikings payroll, but he's not the eruptive playmaker he once was. Injuries have taken their toll. Murray is playing conservative football, which just won't fly in this era.
A rule to live by: Super Bowl contenders need a top-11 offense and a top-13 defense. Those criteria apply to the last 10 NFL champions. Minnesota's aggressive pass rush can clearly muscle the Vikings through the regular season, but history tells us this team won't make it far in the playoffs without substantial improvement.
Enter Mac Jones, a strong stylistic fit for the O'Connell offense, which borrows liberally from Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. Jones is himself a former first-round pick. In fact, he was in the Pro Bowl as a rookie with the Patriots. That situation quickly fell apart, but in hindsight, the blame falls as much on Bill Belichick as it does on Jones. The all-time great head coach was vindictive to the point of sabotage in his handling of Jones' development.
After blowing in the wind with Jacksonville for a year, Jones caught on with the Niners, who once prized him as a prospect. It was an immediate success. The Niners are talented and that offense is always near-elite, but you could say the same for Minnesota before J.J. McCarthy took over. Sam Darnold was once in a very similar boat as Jones is now. He arrived in Minnesota, turned his career around, then won a Super Bowl in Seattle.
That's not to say Jones guarantees a Super Bowl for Minnesota. But he's an efficient quarterback with a strong pocket presence, with a youth and a scheme familiarity that raises his ceiling beyond what Murray is currently capable of. A second-round pick is a lot, but it becomes a bargain if Minnesota can extend Jones below market value for a top-15 quarterback. A shorter-term extension, a la Daniel Jones in Indianapolis, feels plausible. If Jones hits, Minnesota can go the distance. If he flops, well, it was worth the swing — and the Vikings can pivot, as this front office is so accustomed to doing.
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