Vikings need Kwesi Adofo-Mensah blowing up Browns phones for Darnold insurance

While the news of J.J. McCarthy's torn meniscus was not what a single Minnesota Vikings fan or anyone in the organization was hoping for, it was also not a death knell. Yes, the hope was that the rookie 10th overall pick would eventually be the starter at some point this season but the plan had long been that veteran Sam Darnold would be QB1. That plan is just now extended throughout the rest of the regular season.

However, the one question mark for the Vikings then became what would happen now if Darnold himself were to get injured. Nick Mullens and 2023 draft pick Jaren Hall are on the roster and could be options but neither player has the upside or perhaps even the trust that McCarthy would've as the backup for some portion of the season. As such, potential upgrades to the quarterback depth chart have been explored.

But now the Cleveland Browns might be putting someone on the trade block who has done too much for Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to ignore.

NFL Rumors: Dorian Thompson-Robinson trade should be on Vikings radar

According to Zac Jackson of The Athletic ($), the Browns "have discussed" the possibility of trading second-year quarterback -- and Cleveland preseason star -- Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

The reason for potentially trading Thompson-Robinson isn't one that should worry the Vikings in any capacity, though. DTR has been in a battle with veteran backup Tyler Huntley throughout training camp and the preseason and both have performed well. As such, the Browns aren't trying to move a distressed asset but, rather, looking to recoup some value from Thompson-Robinson to help fill another hole or gain draft capital.

Minnesota got a front-row seat to witness Thompson-Robinson during the second week of the preseason. Though he did throw an interception, he completed 13-of-17 pass attempts for an impressive 126 yards, which looked far better than Mullens' 11-of-21 for 135 yards (even with a touchdown) despite a loss for Cleveland.

More than that, though, he's a higher-upside option than Mullens simply based on age. He gained some experience with starts for the Browns last season and DTR was up-and-down, throwing three picks in his first start but only threw one interception across his other two starts on the year before a hip injury ended his rookie campaign.

The Vikings could potentially offer someone like David Quessenberry or even former first-round pick Lewis Cine to help the Browns fill glaring roster holes already hit with injuries. Or maybe a draft pick would get the deal done.

In any case, though, the Vikings are in a position where they should be aiming to upgrade over Mullens if at all possible. There is a belief that Darnold can get the job done in Kevin O'Connell's offense with the high-end pieces around him. That's not a certainty, however, and neither is the starter's health, which is something that Thompson-Robinson could help mitigate the risk of.