With Geno Smith Gone, What's the Vikings' Plan B After Kyler Murray?

One rumored quarterback option for the Vikings is now off the board. On Tuesday, the Raiders traded Geno Smith to the Jets for a late-round pick swap, with Las Vegas eating almost all of Smith's guaranteed money to facilitate the deal.

There had been buzz that the Vikings were a potential landing spot for Smith if he wound up released by the Raiders, which was the expectation. We wrote at Vikings on SI earlier this month about why the former Seahawks standout made all kinds of sense in Minnesota.

Shortly after the trade was announced, insider Jordan Schultz said Smith "had real interest" from the Vikings, but the Jets were able to get it done. How real the Vikings' interest in Smith may have been no longer matters. The question now becomes this: What will Minnesota do in the event that Kyler Murray ends up elsewhere?

The Vikings are believed to be the favorites to land Murray, who is widely expected to be released by the Cardinals as soon as the start of the new league year on Wednesday afternoon. But some patience is required on that front. According to insiders, Murray will take some time to meet with different teams who may need a quarterback either this year or in 2027. And while there are plenty of reasons to believe he'll have interest in signing with the Vikings, other teams could make a serious push to land him.

Kyler Murray | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Unless they've already somehow received assurance from Murray's camp that they'll be getting him, the Vikings can't put all of their eggs in that basket. They need to also be exploring other options that can serve as a backup plan.

Aaron Rodgers' future is still unknown. The Steelers are reportedly "nosing around" the quarterback market for backup plans of their own as they wait for Rodgers to make his decision. Per reports, there were people in the Vikings' building who wanted them to sign the four-time MVP last year. Could those conversations be revisited?

There's also Kirk Cousins, who will be released by the Falcons on Wednesday. Cousins wouldn't be a particularly exciting addition for the Vikings, but he knows Kevin O'Connell's offense as well as anyone and is now a few years removed from his 2023 Achilles injury.

Beyond those two names, the likes of Joe Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Carson Wentz are still out there on the free agent market. Wentz is believed to be an option to back up Smith with the Jets. A trade for Mac Jones seems unlikely, with the 49ers' asking price described as "astronomical." If Derek Carr un-retires, the Vikings could look to acquire his rights from the Saints for a late-round pick.

All the signs point toward Murray being the Vikings' guy. But then again, Daniel Jones looked like the Vikings' guy last year after Sam Darnold departed. Until Kyler puts pen to paper with Minnesota, nothing can be taken for granted.