Heading into Week 8, the Minnesota Vikings remain the only undefeated team in the NFL during the 2026 season. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has little reason to change the existing setup, as the team has been performing well in recent weeks.

However, quarterback Kyler Murray’s inconsistencies have raised concerns, prompting calls for the head coach to explore other options. Hall of Famer Cris Carter has also publicly criticized the quarterback room.

Analyst Trey Wingo recently floated the idea of the Vikings pursuing their former starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins. However, Carter outright rejected the proposal, explaining why even exploring such a trade could be a terrible move.

Cris Carter Rejects Kirk Cousins-Vikings Reunion Idea

Cousins played six seasons for Minnesota, from 2018 through 2023. He started 88 regular-season games for the franchise, throwing for 23,265 yards and 171 touchdowns.

He also led the Vikings to a memorable Wild Card playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints following the 2019 season. However, Carter does not believe Cousins’ current play or history with Minnesota justifies bringing him back.

“Kirk Cousins is not good. Kirk Cousins is not coming back to Minnesota. The Vikings are not getting ready to trade for him to bring him back. That would upset the locker room,” the former Vikings wide receiver said on Wednesday’s episode of the Inside Football podcast.

“It would be totally against what they say they like to do. The new general manager, I spent some time with him. That’s not the environment that he is trying to create. They brought Kyler there with a plan. They are undefeated. Their plan is working, regardless if we don’t like it or not.”

“Kirk Cousins is not coming back to Minnesota. He took enough of our money with him when he left the last time,” he added, recalling the ghosts of QB’s 2024 exit. Although Cousins left the Vikings in NFL free agency after the legal tampering period opened, his exit left the franchise with a $28.5 million dead-cap hit.

Meanwhile, the Vikings have relied on their defense to do much of the heavy lifting. Once ranked among the league’s worst defenses in 2022, the unit has undergone a significant overhaul under defensive coordinator Brian Flores and is now considered one of the best in the NFL.

Through the first seven weeks, the Vikings have allowed just 12.3 points per game, making life difficult for opposing offenses.

Minnesota currently ranks No. 1 in PFN’s NFL Team Impact Rankings, with a grade of 86.2. The Vikings will next face division rivals the Detroit Lions in Week 8. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.