On Tuesday, there was a rumor floating around the world wide web that the Minnesota Vikings are looking to see if they can acquire Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford before this season's trade deadline.
Well, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune's Ben Goessling on Wednesday, the rumor linking Stafford to the Vikings is only a rumor and nothing more. Goessling shared that there is "zero truth" to the rumor about Minnesota currently trying to trade for the Rams quarterback.
So this means that everyone will stop freaking out about the possibility of the Vikings giving up future assets to acquire a 36-year-old quarterback who has only thrown three touchdowns in six games this season, right?
Probably not.
Minnesota Vikings trade for Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford would make no sense
While there is an obvious connection between Stafford and Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell, as the two helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl win in 2022 when O'Connell was the offensive coordinator in Los Angeles, the Vikings trading for the veteran quarterback in the middle of the season makes zero sense.
Minnesota is heading into Week 7 with a 5-1 record, and despite suffering its first loss last Sunday, they were still able to stand toe-to-toe with the Detroit Lions, a team that many believe is currently the best in the NFL.
Part of the reason for the Vikings' hot start this season has definitely been the play of quarterback Sam Darnold. Recently, Darnold was named the NFC Player of the Month for his performance in September, and so far this year, he's thrown for 1,370 yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Those stats don't tell the complete story, but with the way Minnesota has been building its roster for the present and the future during the last few months, making a trade for Stafford would go against pretty much everything that they've done so far.
The Vikings have been rolling with Darnold as their starting quarterback this season, and when he becomes a free agent in 2025, the team is expected to let him sign elsewhere, and J.J. McCarthy will step in as Minnesota's new starting signal-caller.
Stafford's current contract has cap hits of $53.7 million in 2025 and 2026, and it doesn't expire until 2027. The Vikings could potentially get out of it before the 2026 season, but would they really want to have McCarthy sit for another year and miss out on another season of taking advantage of his cheap rookie deal?
There are several players that Minnesota could attempt to acquire before this season's trade deadline, but Stafford shouldn't be one of them.