Since the moment he was acquired, the Minnesota Vikings have always planned on starting Sam Darnold at quarterback, this season . There may have been points during training camp where J.J. McCarthy started to show up in his rearview mirror, but that’s no longer a reality.
Nope, it’s Darnold or bust for the 2024 Minnesota Vikings. And one former NFL general manager, Mike Tannenbaum , thinks that is a DangeRUSS idea. That’s why, on Wednesday morning’s episode of “Get Up” (ESPN) , he urged Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to swing a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, for… Russell Wilson
“Unfortunately for Minnesota history is repeating itself. We go back to 2016, Teddy Bridgewater had a catastrophic injury at practice. Sam Bradford gets traded from the Eagles to the Vikings. So to me, I think a win-win here is to trade Russell Wilson to Minnesota. I think he’s a better quarterback than Sam Darnold. They certainly can battle it out.”
Mike Tannenbaum on Get Up discussing a Vikings trade for Russell Wilson
Does Russell Wilson to the Minnesota Vikings make sense?
There is no denying that the former Super Bowl champion, and nine-time Pro Bowl selection has been a better quarterback than Darnold. The significant question is whether Russell Wilson is currently better than what Kevin O’Connell believes Darnold can be.
Related: Sam Darnold Struggles at Vikings’ Night Practice
Tannenbaum also seems to be comparing unlike scenarios. The 2024 Vikings are nowhere near the same place that the 2016 outfit was, and the staff is drastically different.
At some point McCarthy may have taken over for Darnold in 2024. The Minnesota Vikings aren’t projected to be a contender this season, and they don’t need to operate in a reactionary way.
Vikings don’t need Mr. Unlimited
Wilson hasn’t led a team to a winning record since 2020, and he has been largely mediocre since. It would be foolish to act as though he is a substantial upgrade, and part with assets to get him.
This isn’t the first time that the Minnesota Vikings have been suggested as a landing spot for Mr. Unlimited. It might be better off if it was the last time though. Wilson coming in would also bring a number of chemistry questions to the locker room.
DangerRUSS tends to drive intense levels of cringe factor in nearly everything he does. A level of cringe that many, teammates included, cannot stomach. At this point in Russell Wilson’s career, he is not better than Sam Darnold in, really, any way.
Sam Darnold >>>> DangeRUSS
And there’s absolutely no chance the 35-year-old could come in and learn Kevin O’Connell’s system fast enough to challenge for QB1 by week one. Remember, Russ was at his best when he was the “break glass in case of emergency” option in a Seattle Seahawks offense carried by prime Marshawn Lynch.
In other words, Mike Tannenbaum needs to revisit the morning take trade machine after another cup of coffee, next time. If Kwesi is determined to add behind Darnold, then they could simply go after the free agent Tannenbaum mentions for the Steelers.
Related: Quarterback Options That Make Sense for the Minnesota Vikings
Ryan Tannehill doesn’t have a rapport with Kevin O’Connell, but he’d 100% be the better option over Mr. Unliiiiimitted. He’d be better than either Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall, too. Matt Corral isn’t making the 53-man roster , and the Vikings appear locked in on their quarterbacks.
Still, Tannehill is an option if they want to consider something less obtrusive than Wilson. The Vikings are closing in on Week 1, and we will soon see how Darnold fares out of the gate in his new environment.
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