The Minnesota Vikings are facing a quarterback controversy after J.J. McCarthy suffered from a poor first season as the starter, and the franchise may turn to superstar Joe Burrow to solve their problems.
Burrow, the franchise guy for the Cincinnati Bengals, has been tabbed as a player who could be shockingly traded this offseason after vague comments of being unhappy during the 2025 campaign.
Considering how important he is to the Bengals, it is hard to see them parting ways with him, but if he pushes for the move, the organization could be willing to listen to offers.
If Burrow does become available, the Vikings will be a team that will do whatever it takes to trade for him, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
During an episode of The Alex Lewis Show, the reporter broke down what the organization would do if a player of Burrow’s caliber became available.
“If a player like Joe Burrow is available via trade, I expect the Vikings to do everything they possibly can to make that happen. It’s more a question of what is available, and how far from a cost perspective is it gonna take,” Lewis said.
How likely is a Joe Burrow trade?
The Joe Burrow trade chatter began when SI’s Grant Cohn posted a video on X, floating an offer the Vikings may make.
“[The Vikings] want to get right back into contention,” Cohn said in the video. “They’re planning to offer J.J. McCarthy and Jonathan Greenard, and two first‑round picks to the Cincinnati Bengals for Joe Burrow. If the Bengals say no, then they might go out and get Kirk Cousins, bring him back.”
Speculation about a Burrow trade was largely theoretical until Cohn’s reporting, which ignited a social media storm.
Bengals running back Chase Brown, when speaking to CBS Sports, dismissed the idea of Burrow being traded back at the end of January.
“Joe’s not going anywhere,” Brown told CBS Sports. “I think that was totally blown out of proportion. It was definitely a good talking point for people. … It gave the media a lot to talk about and probably made [Burrow’s] Twitter notifications go off, but Joe’s not going anywhere.”
All of the reports are based on what the Vikings are prepared to do and offer for Joe Burrow, but none highlight the Bengals’ willingness to trade him, which will likely be limited given that he is under contract.
However, for the Vikings, it is interesting to note their willingness to negotiate for him in case he becomes available on the market.