ESPN's Seth Walder discussed players each team could target ahead of next week's trade deadline. For the Vikings, it was a name that refuses to leave the tongues of analysts and fans alike: Kirk Cousins. He mentions Cousins as someone who just makes too much sense to ignore his potential return to Minnesota as the deadline looms.

Pro receiver Justin Jefferson has had eight different starting quarterbacks during his six years in Minnesota. On Sunday, it's back to J.J. McCarthy, who returns against the Detroit Lions after missing the last five games with an ankle injury.

No one expects the Vikings to steal a win on Sunday at Ford Field. Here's what they'll have to do to pull it off.

The Minnesota Vikings were all-in on developing quarterback J.J. McCarthy this season, after his rookie year was lost to injury, with the belief they could insulate him from some of the natural struggles of inexperience by surrounding him with a stacked veteran team and a savvy coaching staff.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday that Brosmer will be the Vikings ' backup quarterback behind J.J. McCarthy (ankle) for the rest of the 2025 season in the absence of Carson Wentz (shoulder), Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

The former No. 10 overall pick is set to make his third NFL start on Sunday, and he'll do it not far from where he played his home games during his time as quarterback of the Michigan Wolverines. McCarthy and the Vikings hope this week's game in Detroit — and the nine remaining in the regular season after it — can be the start of something special.

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell made the choice to rely on veteran free agents instead of young drafted players, and now the Vikings are paying the price with a 3-4 record.

McCarthy will be making his return in a crucial game for the Vikings, who have slipped to 3-4 this season, but remain 1-0 in NFC North play. A win over the Lions would be major for Minnesota making sure their season doesn’t start to slip away from them.