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Vikings Week 6 Mailbag: Trade Targets, Kyler Murray's Outlook, Kirk Cousins Prediction & More

Even though it's the bye week, Sports Illustrated's Jason Harmon is still here to address what's on Minnesota fans' minds this week.
Jason Harmon|
What does the future hold for Kyler Murray in Purple and Gold?
What does the future hold for Kyler Murray in Purple and Gold? | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Minnesota Vikings

The 5-0 Vikings are spending this week resting and recovering with an early Week 6 bye, but we’re still here to talk about the Purple and Gold in this week’s mailbag. As usual, I took to X to ask for your questions and bold predictions, and was not left disappointed.

Let’s dive in to what's on the fan base's mind halfway through October.

To submit your questions, reach out to Jason Harmon on X.  

Potential RB trade targets?

What are your thoughts on the Vikings going all out on a guy like Jonathan Taylor? I feel he’s a younger, safer option than Barkley. The Colts could use a first-round pick, since the one they gave up for 2027 for Sauce Gardner doesn't seem to have moved the needle much for the team.
@SKOLRealityChek

This is an interesting name I’ve seen pop up recently, admittedly not for the Vikings.

Jonathan Taylor in purple would be an absolute blast, but I don’t see it happening for a few reasons. First, current starting back Aaron Jones is having an impressive season. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what he’d have left in the tank at age 31, but he’s pushed through injury to keep the running game afloat (h/t: NFL).

Jones's 610 yards on the ground are tied for the sixth-most in the league. Where the Vikings could use help is in the rest of the running back room, given the current lack of effective depth. Luckily, Jordan Mason seems set to return from the injured reserve soon.

The trade cost a team would have to spend on the recently extended Taylor would be more than Minnesota could invest, given the number of holes the team faces this offseason.  His cap hit of $16,187,000 would also far exceed Minnesota’s current cap space of $5,972,901 per OverTheCap.

While there are ways to possibly make it work, that would only increase the cost and effort for something that isn't currently a glaring need. 

Kyler Murray's future in Purple and Gold

What would Kyler have to accomplish to be re-signed by the Vikings next year for a long-term deal?
@WhiteWeather_

This may be a bold take, but I think there’s a decent chance that anything short of multiple playoff wins ends with Kyler Murray playing elsewhere in 2027, and it is in no way a slight on him.

If Murray continues to grow and succeed with the Vikings this year, he’ll almost certainly earn a hefty free-agent deal this offseason, a reminder of the no-tag clause wisely inserted into his contract.  Last Sunday was a great example of how his accuracy and mobility can still help a team win (h/t: Ian Hartitz)

If his price compares to that of, say, Mac Jones, head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Nolan Teasley may be left with a dilemma: Run it back with the QB you just found success with, despite having to adjust your offense? Or spend similar money on a QB who fits your preferred offensive system?

My gut tells me O’Connell would lean toward the latter. Murray has shown flashes, and I'm confident he will only get better, but we still haven't seen how the marriage holds up against the league's best opponents.

Will Reichard for MVP?

Will Reichard is on pace for 188 points, the most since LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) in 2006. LT won MVP that year. I know it’s a moonshot, but is the 'Will the Thrill' MVP discussion really that crazy to have?
@flexgolden11

I’ve seen a few different calculations of Will Reichard’s 2026 scoring pace, and my personal calculations come to 180. His 53 points through five games come out to 10.6 points per game. Multiply that by 17 games, and you get a pace of 180.2 points for the fan-favorite kicker.

Either way, it's incredibly impressive and would put him just six points shy of Tomlinson’s record of 186. It would also pass Seahawks kicker Jason Meyers (171 in 2025) for the most points in a season by a kicker. 

Now, can a kicker win NFL MVP? Yes! It happened in a strike-shortened nine-game 1982 season, as Washington kicker Mark Moseley took home the MVP honors with a 41.7% vote share. Moseley went 20-of-21 on field goals and 16-of-19 on extra points for  a total of 76 points, per Pro-Football-Reference.

Needless to say, some unique circumstances were at play, and while we’re unlikely to see that again, Reichard may be one of the few kickers who could actually make an MVP case.

Kirk Cousins reunion?

Vikings trade for Kirk Cousins during the bye week.
@Vhcadet

On top of the questions, I asked for bold takes, and this one is a great one!

I think it would be hard to pull off in the middle of this week, since Kirk Cousins seems to be starting for the Raiders against the Bills this weekend, but I wouldn’t rule it out completely by the trade deadline. I put the overall chances at less than 5%, but a number of things could happen to make it more likely.

First, the Vikings would need serious concerns about Murray depending on what happens against the Colts in Week 7 and the Lions in Week 8 to even consider it. They also host the Bills in Week 9 for Monday Night Football on Nov. 9, the night before the trade deadline.

If Murray completely fails to show up in those games, the Vikings may consider their options. 

The Raiders would also likely need to lose at least three of their next four games ahead of the deadline before even considering moving on from Cousins, who has had an impressive start to the season (h/t: NFL).

After hosting the Bills, the Raiders then host the Rams, face the Jets at MetLife Stadium before heading west to face the Niners, all before Nov. 10.

While I think a Cousins trade is unlikely, it's not impossible.

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Jason Harmon
JASON HARMON

Jason Harmon grew up a diehard Vikings fan and has been doing Vikings content and coverage since 2023. He is the Vikings Content Curator for Sleeper and is a host on Purple Daily’s in-season spinoff podcast “Before I Die”. Jason and his family moved to the Twin Cities from Arizona in 2025 as he started covering the team full time.

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