The worst-kept secret in the NFL ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline is that the Minnesota Vikings need a quarterback, but don't expect them to call former New Orleans Saints
starter Derek Carr. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports that the Vikings have not contacted the Saints about a potential trade for Carr. Because New Orleans owns his contract, any team interested in bringing Carr out of retirement would have to trade with them.Instead, it's another Raiders quarterback with NFC South experience on Minnesota's radar. ESPN's Adam Schefter says Kirk Cousins has emerged "as a prime trade candidate" for the Vikings, who have started games with Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz at quarterback after trading first-round draft bust J.J. McCarthy to
the New York Giants. Cousins started 91 games for Minnesota from 2018 to 2023 (including the playoffs) and is intimately familiar with their operation. With the first overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza chomping at the bit to start, it makes sense for the Vikings to call Las Vegas and try to cut a deal.
But wow is it embarrassing for Carr. This was exactly the kind of situation he had been holding out for in retirement: a Super Bowl contender with a strong supporting cast and battle-tested coaching staff that he could lead to a championship. Instead of warming up in hopes of winning his first career NFL playoff game, he's working on his golf swing, doing ad reads for his podcast, and watching games from the couch on Sundays just like the rest of us.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Report: Vikings not interested in ex-Saints QB Derek Carr
