Change at the quarterback position is not foreign to the Minnesota Vikings.
In fact, the Vikings have a history of acquiring a starting QB within days of the season starting on multiple occasions.
The most notable occurrence was Minnesota coaxing Brett Favre out of retirement on Aug. 18, 2009. This set the stage for a sensational run to the NFC title game, which the Vikings lost in overtime to the New Orleans Saints.
Now, just 18 days before the start of the 2024 season, one former NFL general manager is suggesting the Vikings do it again.
Former NFL GM Suggests the Vikings Trade for Russell Wilson
Mike Tannenbaum, a veteran NFL executive, made the case on Wednesday for the Vikings to acquire Russell Wilson from the Pittsburgh Steelers to potentially assume the starting job over Sam Darnold.
.@realtannenbaum thinks the Steelers should trade Russell Wilson to the Vikings and sign Ryan Tannehill 😯
“A win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he’s a better quarterback than Sam Darnold. They certainly can battle it out.” pic.twitter.com/wfpAkerqlt
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 21, 2024
“Unfortunately for Minnesota, history is repeating itself,” Tannenbaum said. “We go back to 2016, a very unfortunate injury. Teddy Bridgewater had a catastrophic injury at practice. Sam Bradford gets traded from the Eagles to the Vikings.
“So, to me, I think a win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he’s a better quarterback than Sam Darnold. They certainly can battle it out.”
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Tannenbaum went on to explain that Pittsburgh could then turn to current free agent Ryan Tannehill to back up Justin Fields, suggesting a reunion between Tannehill and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith that could prove beneficial for both parties. Tannehill started at QB for the Tennessee Titans when Smith was the offensive coordinator there in 2019 and 2020.
It should also be noted that Tannenbaum was the Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Miami Dolphins from 2015 to 2018; Tannehill was the team’s quarterback for each of those seasons.
Why a Russell Wilson Trade to Minnesota Is Unlikely
While Tannenbaum has the qualifications to ascertain moves NFL teams could make to improve their rosters and has established relationships with some of the parties he references in the clip, there are several reasons that the Vikings are not a suitable partner in a trade for Wilson.
The notion that history is repeating itself seems to suggest that J.J. McCarthy’s meniscus injury and repair are somehow akin to the Bridgewater injury. However, those situations are profoundly dissimilar.
Bridgewater was the Vikings’ undisputed starter at the time of his injury, while McCarthy was unlikely to supplant Darnold as the starter heading into this season.
It’s one thing to sign a new starting QB two weeks before the season begins when the incumbent starter becomes unavailable, but to sign a new starter to take the place of an existing starter this close to Week 1 is unusual and unlikely to work well. Wilson just spent months learning a new offense in Pittsburgh, and he’d be forced to do it all over again in Minnesota.
Also, the notion that Wilson represents any kind of upgrade over Darnold is a stretch. Wilson is 35 years old and turns 36 during the season, and he’s coming off a 2023 season in which he set a career low in passing yards (3,070). Darnold, meanwhile, is only 27 years old and enters a situation in Minnesota that represents his best opportunity yet to succeed.
Tannenbaum’s argument that Fields should start over Wilson in Pittsburgh is reasonable. Additionally, his suggestion that Tannehill take the backup role as an ideal fit in Pittsburgh also checks out.
Unfortunately for them, the Steelers will need to find a team other than Minnesota to help facilitate it all.