With Kyler Murray sidelined by a hamstring strain, the one-loss Minnesota Vikings are turning to Carson Wentz at quarterback on Monday night against the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills, while Kyler Murray is week-to-week with a hamstring strain.

When the game against Buffalo on Monday, we will be about 16 hours out from the 2026 NFL trade deadline. That’s interesting timing given the Vikings’ 6-1 record, Murray’s new injury and his preexisting struggles in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

Minnesota Vikings defense leads the NFL while the offense lags

Meanwhile, general manager Nolan Teasley has been working the phones hard enough in recent days that insiders are starting to ask questions over Minnesota’s QB intentions over the next few days.

Thursday night, James Palmer reported that the Vikings may be in the market for a QB, during Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football postgame show. Then Friday, the league’s top insider Adam Schefter (ESPN) told the Pat McAfee Show that he is watching the QB situation very closely heading into their matchup on Monday night.

“I will just say, like, with everything going on, with Kyler Murray hurt, with Kyler Murray not producing, with the offense struggling, with Carson Wentz potentially starting. I’ll just say, with the Vikings trading away J.J. McCarthy, with everything, I’m watching the Vikings’ quarterback position.

I’m watching the Vikings’ quarterback position, especially when they have an all-world defense that’s good enough to win a Super Bowl, where they need the quarterback to play well, where they need the offense to produce. Again, with everything going on, I’m watching the Vikings’ quarterback position.”

Minnesota’s start has been built on defense. The Vikings allow 13.3 points per game, the fewest in the NFL, and rank first in total yards allowed at 296.9 per game. The defense also has 25 sacks.

The offense hasn’t kept pace. In fact, they are on the other end of the league spectrum, ranking 27th in points per game at 20.0 and 29th in passing yards per game, with 185.4.

Schefter came back to the Vikings on Thursday’s episode of his podcast with Ty Schmit. He pointed to Murray’s injury and struggles, the offense, Wentz starting and the J.J. McCarthy trade, and said he’s watching Minnesota’s quarterback position, especially with a defense good enough to win a Super Bowl.

Why Adam Schefter called Monday a referendum

Earlier in the same segment, Schefter said Monday “is going to be a referendum on the Vikings quarterback position” if Murray can’t play and Wentz “puts up 20-plus points and the offense moves the ball.”

He also noted how long the debate has gone on in Minnesota, listing “Kirk Cousins, or Sam Darnold, or Daniel Jones, or J.J. McCarthy, or Kyler Murray, or Carson Wentz.”

Cousins and Jones have both come up as trade options ahead of the deadline. Schefter isn’t sold on a Cousins return, though. “Why are the Raiders trading Kirk Cousins to Minnesota? Why are they doing that? It makes no sense to me,” he said.