The Vikings young season might be going up in smoke, and the trade rumors are swirling.

Not only is the team off to a 1-4 start to the season, but their best player, wide receiver Justin Jefferson will miss at least the next four games with a hamstring injury.

If there was a little speculation that Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins could be a trade candidate before, now it's rampant.

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Many around the league have speculated that it may be a good time for the Vikings to part ways with their longtime signal caller, who has been with the club since 2018.

Now what the compensation would be, along with what the Vikings' future would look like are just a few of the concerns that need to be addressed beforehand.

Cousins, like any modern-day athlete, is aware of the speculation and potential move despite a no-trade clause in his current contract. Cousins offered up these comments about the recent buzz:

“You know I am just very focused on the Bears and going 1-0 this week, and anything else is not worth my time or energy or attention,” Cousins said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com.

It's a plain jane, matter of fact answer that you may expect from Cousins, who is always dialed in on his current job. Here's the video link in case you want to check it out:

https://x.com/NFCNorthNewss/status/1712209877177688327?s=20

The Vikings are reeling at 1-4, and without their best player for the next four weeks have left their fans wondering what's next.

While Cousins does own a no-trade clause, he could waive it for the right situation for himself and his playing future. Who knows, maybe a team with a ton of win-now talent gives him a call and could be his next long-term opportunity.

Things have been good for Cousins in Minnesota, as he's 47-37-1 as the team's starter, and is already 3rd all-time in career passing yards, trailing just Fran Tarkenton and Tommy Kramer.

Thus far this season, Kirk and the offense have battled the turnover bug, but the veteran quarterback still has 1,498 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions in the 1-4 start.

The Vikings travel to Chicago for an important divisional matchup with the 1-4 Bears on Sunday, a noon kickoff from Soldier Field.

Sources: NBC Sports (Pro Football Talk)NFC North News on X and Pro Football Reference (Stats)

Ten Most Disappointing Minnesota Sports Seasons

The 2021 Minnesota Twins entered the season with high expectations, but unfortunately, they've made the list of most disappointing Minnesota teams of all time.

Disappointment is a common feeling for Minnesota sports fans as the years continue. Following the NBA Championship win for Milwaukee, SportsCenter was quick to point out that Minnesota has the current longest streak of seasons without a championship appearance in the four major sports (MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL). The Minnesota Lynx also chimed in on the stat after claiming four championships since 2011.

The ten teams that are on this list all follow a similar pattern. The year prior was either a great season with a playoff run or one that featured a strong core of players that appeared to have taken the next step. Offseason/preseason expectations were high with even Las Vegas oddsmakers believing in a deep run. Unfortunately, those preseason expectations fell short for the following teams. None of the teams listed below made the playoffs.


Gallery Credit: Jerry Palleschi

South Dakota Born NFL Players of this Century

While not a traditional powerhouse Nation Football League feeder, South Dakota has produces a fair number of football players that went on to the big time in the NFL.

Here are some that have played on various teams over the last couple of decades.

 

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