The top leaders within the Vikings’ front office are still quite new to the job. Nevertheless, there’s been a bold promise: ensuring that they’re active on the trade market.
What that means is that GM Nolan Teasley is going to ensure he’s keeping up with the league’s trade chatter. If he’s doing so, then that means making an inquiry about what’s going on down in Los Angeles. The Chargers are a team sitting atop a terrible 0-6 record. As a result, they look like one of the league’s top sellers ahead of the November 10th trade deadline.
The Vikings’ Front Office & The Justin Herbert Intrigue
Recently, Tom Pelissero did some football role playing. He did so in a short video alongside Bill Simmons of The Ringer to give voice to what the Vikings’ front office might say in a trade scenario involving some beefy draft capital:
The conversation here revolves around the possibility of shipping out a trio of 1sts or possibly dropping down to a pair of 1sts. Folks, that would be a worthwhile gamble to pickup Mr. Herbert, somebody who is still only 28 and who has a track record of playing like a franchise passer. The Vikings have burned 1st-Round selections accomplishing far less.
To be sure, Herbert has been having a horrific season.
The veteran is sitting atop 59.4% passing, a brutal completion rate that’s cause for some alarm. Worse yet, Herbert’s yards are coming in at 1,141 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. His 68.8 passer rating is terrible, the sort of performance that usually leads to getting benched. PFF lists him as the 37th-ranked passer out of 38; keep in mind that the NFL only has 32 teams.
So, why the intrigue?
Well, Herbert is a former No. 6 selection who boasts terrific talent. He’s 28 and offers the ideal NFL quarterback frame at 6’6″ and roughly 236 pounds. Just a year ago, Herbert led his Chargers to an 11-6 record while completing 66.4% of his passes for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. That season came after several other years that were just like his ’25 effort, proving that he’s more than a one-season wonder.
Best guess: the Chargers begin firing coaches and/or executives prior to exploring a quarterback swap. That would be the expected course of action since a good coach is way easier to find than a good quarterback. But, to be sure, there are times when NFL teams do something truly bizarre, such as moving on from a QB1.
Current QB1 Kyler Murray is the starter in the Twin Cities. He’s had some nice moments but not a ton to suggest that he’s a can’t miss, surefire solution for many years to come. Even as his play gets better, Murray often comes with a lingering concern: the possibility of injury.
Does that health history concern a Minnesota leadership structure that wasn’t fully in place when Murray got signed?
In all likelihood, the Vikings’ front office only pulls off a bold move at quarterback if something terrible happens to the current starter. Think a season-ending injury to Murray, as has been the case with Jaxson Dart in New York and Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
Other Chargers players to monitor include safety Derwin James, edge rusher Khalil Mack, and defensive lineman Teair Tart.