NFL 2025 Week 16: Could (or Should) The Minnesota Vikings Actually Trade For Joe Burrow?
Despite their impressive 34-26 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, the Minnesota Vikings were officially eliminated from playoff contention after Week 15. That’s what we get for placing all our hope in the Browns winning a game to help us out, I suppose.
With the season essentially over for the Vikings, offseason talk has already begun to heat up, and most of it is centered around the Vikings’ most questionable position: quarterback. J.J. McCarthy has, for the most part, had a rookie season to forget, so much so that many fans (myself included) want to move on quickly. After spending the second-most money of any NFL team this previous offseason, there were high hopes for this roster to not only make the playoffs, but also take a real shot at the Lombardi. Instead, those hopes have been crushed before the regular season has wrapped, and that’s in no small part due to the poor play at QB. “Nine” has started to heat up in the last two games, but it’s coming against bad defenses and at a time when the wins no longer do anything but hurt the team’s draft position. And, frankly, it would take several MVP-level performances for fans like me to want to stick with McCarthy into next year.
Burrow Leaving the Bengals?
The Vikings’ potential search for a new QB found footing over the last week with a source that could only be dreamed of; however, last Wednesday, Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow expressed visible frustration and disappointment with his current career, even saying, “If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it… If it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for?”
Enter the thundering thumbs of NFL fans on social media. Whether it was based on real evidence or not, speculation ran wild about the Bengals trading their all-world quarterback to a team that would make him happier. Rumors became so loud so quickly that, suddenly, BetMGM made a post on X about the best landing spots for Burrow that had–wait a minute, I need to sit down–the Vikings as the top destination?
Burrow to the Vikings? Really?
Color me surprised (what color is that, anyway?), because I didn’t see this one coming. Joe Burrow? THE Joe Burrow? In a Vikings uniform?
It’s no secret why the Vikings are at the top of the list, though. The obvious connection Burrow has with his former LSU teammate, Justin Jefferson, is undoubtedly what’s pushing this rumor forward. Add in McCarthy’s poor performances and the Vikings’ closing playoff window with this roster, and there’s enough to spark some real interest.
But How Realistic is a Trade?
There’s still reason to be suspicious of this idea. For one, there’s no confirmation Burrow even wants out of Cincy. What, a guy can’t have a quarter-life crisis anymore without the media swarming him? Maybe Burrow was just having a bad day and needed a Snickers.
The scenes in the Bengals’ 0-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, however, showed that this might not be a temporary thing. Burrow ate three sacks, threw 2 INTs, and had another depressing press conference where he was incredibly hard on himself. He did clarify after the game that “my comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati,” but this is clearly a sign of a guy who needs more help from his roster and staff. The Vikings could certainly provide that help: the coaching and roster are both immediate upgrades at most positions compared to the Bengals’.
What About Cap Space and Trade Compensation?
The issue with a Vikings trade for Burrow would be how much they’d have to give up, both in immediate trade compensation to the Bengals and in subsequent cap-clearing moves. This team is still in cap hell for next season, despite all their offseason spending, and Burrow’s contract won’t help that. He is in the middle of a $275 million contract and has a cap hit of over $46 million for next season. That’s A LOT of cap that would need to be cleared, and could lead to the Vikings losing key pieces, not to mention all the draft picks and other young players that they might lose in the trade. But for a game-changer like Burrow, it might be worth it. The Vikings franchise hasn’t seen such an elite QB since the days of Fran Tarkenton.
What About McCarthy?
Those still skeptical about a trade might cry out, “But what about J.J.?” Well, what about him? Yes, the Vikings selected him with a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Yes, he’s finally started to play better in the last two games. But are we so quick to forget the rest of the year? The constant injuries? The awful QBR? The turnovers that tempt me to get a dart board with “Nine” in the middle of it?
But sure, maybe he does start to develop into a good NFL QB. So what? Even if he does, it could be years before we see a quality version of McCarthy, and the Vikings don’t have the time to wait. A roster this good can only stay intact for so long. It’s getting down to the do-or-die stage, and I, for one, don’t want to see my team subjected to mediocrity for years to come.
Please, Kwesi, Make It Happen
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is on the hot seat after this season. A bad draft or another poor offseason decision could get him fired. He could prevent all that with a Burrow trade that’s expertly crafted and puts the Vikings in a position to win it all right away.
Kwesi, this is a message for you. Make it happen. Please. Pretty please. Vikings fans are begging for the real nine from Cincinnati to replace the “Nine” haunting us in Minnesota. The choice is yours. If there’s a real chance to get Burrow, please don’t disappoint us.
Trade package prediction
Vikings receive:
QB Joe Burrow
Bengals receive:
QB J.J. McCarthy
2026 1st-round pick
2026 2nd-round pick
2027 1st-round pick
2027 3rd-round pick