MINNEAPOLIS: Kevin O’Connell left the question of a quarterback trade with general manager Nolan Teasley after Carson Wentz’s 8.9 passer rating deepened Minnesota’s offensive problems in a 23-6 loss to Buffalo on Monday night. With the NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, the Vikings have little time between assessing the defeat and deciding whether to seek help.
O’Connell did not announce a pursuit of another passer or identify a player the team wanted. Asked whether Minnesota would consider acquiring a quarterback, he said: “I’ll defer to Nolan on that.”
The coach said the club had discussed several positions, rather than describing a quarterback-only search. His answer acknowledged the compressed schedule after a Monday night game while stopping short of promising a transaction.
“We’ve had dialogue about a lot of different positions,” O’Connell said, according to NBC Sports’ report of his postgame remarks. “And tight turnaround obviously playing the Monday night game before that, and we’ll get right to work on any potential moves that can be there.”
“But really just focused on the game tonight, which was not good enough in any way, shape, or form,” he added. Asked whether play-calling had ever felt as challenging as it did at that point, O’Connell answered: “No.”
Wentz completed eight of 25 passes for 81 yards and threw two interceptions in the Vikings’ Monday night defeat to Buffalo. Minnesota fell to 6-2 after opening the season with six straight victories. The result leaves the quarterback decision attached to a team that still has a winning record, rather than one already out of contention.
Wentz was starting in place of Kyler Murray, who missed the game with a hamstring problem, Yahoo Sports reported. Wentz also lost a fumble on a backward pass recovered by Buffalo and was replaced by Max Brosmer late in the fourth quarter.
The turnover sequence showed why Minnesota could not translate its defensive resistance into a competitive finish. Wentz threw interceptions on consecutive third-quarter possessions, and Buffalo was able to lean on its running game as the Vikings failed to generate a touchdown. A late change to Brosmer did not amount to an announcement about the next starter.
The trade question is separate from the immediate lineup decision. O’Connell’s remarks established that roster discussions had taken place, but they did not disclose an offer, a negotiation with another club or an agreed deal. Nor did they establish when Murray would be available to return.
NBC’s article suggested several quarterbacks Minnesota could consider. Those names were the writer’s proposed options, not targets identified by O’Connell, and this report does not treat them as evidence of negotiations.
For Teasley, Tuesday’s deadline is the immediate decision point. For O’Connell, the public answer remained narrower: discussions were ongoing across the roster, and the performance against Buffalo was not acceptable. Whether those discussions produce a quarterback acquisition remains unresolved.
