The Minnesota Vikings officially have a quarterback problem. It got so bad on Monday night that Max Brosmer ended up coming in for Carson Wentz as the Vikings offense is once again wasting away an elite defense. Minnesota scored just six points against Buffalo and was handed their second-straight loss. Kyler Murray has been unreliable thanks to a lack of durability and now Wentz is treading water too.Â
I bet Kevin O’Connell probably wishes Nolan Teasley didn’t give up on J.J. McCarthy when he did.Â
Now the Vikings have a few measly hours to come up with a solution because their current quarterback room isn’t just going to ruin a perfect season but ruin the prime of one of the best receivers in the NFL. Here’s why the Vikings need to be swift in turning to Shedeur Sanders if they want any shot of winning in the playoffs this year.Â
Desperate Minnesota Vikings offer this deadline package for Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders
Minnesota is going to have to pay above value if they want Sanders from Cleveland. The Browns are playing their cards close when it comes to how they really view Sanders, but for now, he’s still the future quarterback in Cleveland. The Browns aren’t going to give that up for anything and taking a third-round pick is a major return for a former fifth-round pick with just eight career starts in two seasons. The Vikings are desperate and Cleveland knows that, which is why they can’t get above asking price for him.Â
The Vikings can’t be complacent. Their options are limited and Sanders might not be the best option, but he’s one of the few they have at this point. Kevin O’Connell is known around NFL circles as a quarterback whisperer, yet the last few years, he hasn’t quite been able to tap into the quarterback talent in front of him. Sanders might be the one quarterback to bail him out.Â
Why Minnesota should be happy with Shedeur Sanders
Sanders still has a lot of potential. He also has a lot of development. Realistically, he’s going to learn better on the field than he will on the bench. If this is his best chance to play, this will give him the perfect opportunity to continue going through his growing pains and work to become a starter in the NFL. He’ll have an elite receiver in Justin Jefferson to go to, which always helps. Now the downside to that is he has had some passing problems.Â
In the Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints, he held on to the ball way too long, dropped back too far and severely underthrew Denzel Boston on what should have been an easy touchdown. Those problems aren’t going to magically fix because he’s with a new team, but the Vikings have to look at that Week 9 game and be more thrilled about what their offense can look like.Â
Sanders has more passing yards in one game than any of the Vikings current quarterbacks have in any game this year. Sanders gave the Browns a chance to win, leading a game-winning drive and coming short on the two-point try. Sanders isn’t perfect and he’s not the best quarterback option. But he’s worth it and better than what Minnesota already has. For that, it’s worth the risk.
Cleveland should entertain trading Shedeur Sanders with his future in question
The Browns haven’t tipped their hand at how they envision Sanders’ future with the organization. They have been patient with him and opted to go with Deshaun Watson over Sanders to start the season. It proved to be a good decision with Watson 5-3 as a starter this year, but it also proved they were fine letting Sanders wait out one more year before having another crack at the starting job. If he truly didn’t beat out Watson for the starting job this year, contract politics aside, then it’s worth trading him.Â
Cleveland is probably taking a quarterback in next year's NFL Draft, regardless if Sanders is still on the team by then or not. They might as well get something for him — especially at a time where the Vikings are desperate — rather than continuing to be patient. If he hasn’t proven it to the front office now, they might not ever be satisfied.
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