What a Viking Loss Sunday Against the Bears Could Lead to

The Vikings are 1-4 and will play at the 1-4 Chicago Bears Sunday at noon.  Hear the game on WJON.  The Vikings will play without top receiver Justin Jefferson due to a hamstring injury that will keep him out a minimum of 4 games.  Star Tribune Sports Columnist Jim Souhan says if the Vikings lose to the Bears the Vikings would have to take a different viewpoint.  He cautions fans to not assume the season is over but he indicates the way the team is playing is not inspiring.

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After the Bears game Sunday the Vikings will play the 5-0 San Francisco 49ers.  Souhan says a 1-6 start may force the team to consider playing younger players which could include the trading of players not under contract beyond this season.  That would include quarterback Kirk Cousins.  Souhan isn't sure there is big market for Cousins and that includes the Jets.  He says Cousins to the Jets is the easy rumor but he's not sure Cousins could acclimate to a new offense quick enough to elevate them, or a different team, from a non playoff team to a playoff team.   Souhan feels the asking price would be a first round pick next season that could be used to draft a quarterback in the 2024 draft.  He says there will likely be more than 1 quarterback NFL teams will be targeting in the first round of next year's draft.

Souhan explains tanking for a quarterback hasn't traditionally worked for teams.  The Colts didn't win a super bowl with Andrew Luck and Washington got 1 good season with Robert Griffin III.  Souhan says there is a lot of buzz around USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina QB Drake Maye.  He feels tanking is bad for coaches, players, and the fanbase and teams don't want to tank for the 8th pick but rather the 1st or 2nd pick.  Souhan says for this to work out the player you tank for has to elevate the franchise and not many quarterbacks can do that.

Currently Carolina has the worst record in the NFL at 0-5 followed by the Vikings, Cardinals, Patriots, Bears, Giants, and Broncos at 1-4.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Jim Souhan it is available below.  Jim joins me weekday mornings at 7:15 on WJON.