Tracking Vikings trade rumors ahead of Tuesday's NFL deadline

The NFL trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. CT Tuesday, and the Minnesota Vikings could be a buyer after putting themselves firmly in the playoff race with a 27-24 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

What is their biggest need? Cornerback is the most obvious answer, though insiders have floated the idea that they could still be in the market for a veteran quarterback to back up J.J. McCarthy, or an edge rusher to provide depth behind Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner.

We'll be tracking rumors up until the deadline. Follow along for updates.

3 p.m. — Vikings don't make any trades

The deadline has passed and the Vikings haven't announced any trades. It appears they'll move forward with the current roster.

2:06 p.m. — Nothing brewing in the rumor mill

It's been dead-quiet for hours now, with none of the local or national insiders mentioning the Vikings amid the craziness that has seen stars like Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, and Rashid Shaheed traded. We'll keep watching for updates.

12:25 p.m. — O'Connell says Vikings GM is on the phone

Kevin O'Connell was interviewed by KFAN's Paul Allen Tuesday morning, and this is what he said when Allen asked if the Viings are working on any "whoppers" ahead of the trade deadline.

"I would say the whoppers are more on the white board right now, with the coaching staff drawing some plays more so than me being involved directly with any of that stuff. But I know there's a lot of calls going on. Kwesi and his staff do a great job with that, and (we'll) see where the day goes," he said.

9:27 a.m. — Cornerback more likely than quarterback

Alec Lewis, who covers the Vikings for The Athletic, says, "The most obvious need is at cornerback. A more veteran addition to the quarterback room is less likely, but it’s worth considering as well."

Cornerbacks mentioned by Lewis are Seattle's Riq Woolen, Miami's Jack Jones, Kansas City's Joshua Williams, and Washington's Noah Igbinoghene. As for quarterbacks, Lewis named Atlanta's Kirk Cousins, Miami's Zach Wilson, and Las Vegas's Aidan O'Connell.

7:36 a.m. — A late-round pick for a quarterback?

Here's what CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones said Tuesday morning about Minnesota:

"That building is used to having conversations around the acquisition of quarterbacks. I wouldn't be surprised if those conversations continued into Tuesday and resulted in a late pick going somewhere for a low-priced veteran who would not threaten J.J. McCarthy's starting status (Carson Wentz is out for the season). Don't forget Minnesota brought in Daniel Jones last season after he was released by the Giants."

7:32 a.m. — O'Connell comfortable with QB room

McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and John Wolford are currently on the roster, and Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell says he's comfortable with it. However, he'd eventually like to have Wolford on the active roster instead of the practice squad.

"I feel pretty comfortable with that room right now.," O'Connell said Monday. "You would love to find a way at some point maybe to get John up on the roster to take advantage of the emergency quarterback on game day. It's obviously something that's difficult when that player is on your practice squad, and you don't get the advantage of the 49th spot on game day. So, that’s obviously something we're always trying to work through, but as we've been able to get a little bit more healthy around the
rest of our football team, it might be easier said than done in the short term, but something we'll be taking a look at for sure."

7:20 a.m. — Monitoring veteran quarterbacks

Nothing new has leaked since Adam Schefter name-dropped Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, and Jameis Winston while talking about Minnesota and a potential need for a veteran backup quarterback to play behind McCarthy.

7:12 a.m. — Vikings among teams talking to Asante Samuel Jr.?

Samuel has reportedly been medically cleared to play after undergoing spinal fusion surgery in April, and insiders say he's talking to several teams that need cornerback help. Minnesota definitely needs cornerback help behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers. With Jeff Okudah suffering two concussions already this season, the next men up are Dwight McGlothern, Fabian Moreau, and Tavierre Thomas.

In four seasons with the Chargers, Samuel Jr. had six interceptions with 37 passes defensed and 26 pass breakups. He's a ball-hawking cornerback with elite skills, and he's only 26 years old.