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A Joe Burrow Trade for the Vikings Is Realistic … in Time

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Joe Burrow gestures after a first down during a Cincinnati Bengals road game at SoFi Stadium.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) gestures after converting a first down against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Nov. 17, 2024. Burrow reacted during second-half action as Cincinnati pushed the tempo and looked to sustain momentum in the road matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

About three months ago, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters that he was not happy with football or his life, in general, which sparked a litany of trade rumors — because wouldn’t the guy want a change if everything was so bad? The Minnesota Vikings were predictably named as a trade destination, and while that probably isn’t realistic in 2026, next offseason could be Minnesota’s meal ticket in the would-be Burrow Sweepstakes.

Burrow’s price would be massive, but cap math and roster erosion can change “never” into “maybe” fast.

NFL insider Jason La Canfora delivered the Burrow takes this week, redefining the timeline of a possible trade.

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The Clock Matters More Than the Fantasy with Burrow

It’s an all-or-nothing year in Cincinnati for Burrow.

Joe Burrow warms up before a Bengals-49ers game at Levi’s Stadium. Joe Burrow Trade to Vikings.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws during pregame warmups before facing the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on October 29, 2023. Burrow goes through his routine as Cincinnati prepares for a late-October road matchup against an NFC contender. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports.

LaCanfora on Burrow

Sizing up Burrow’s future, La Canfora wrote this week, “Is this it? All of that begs major questions about Burrow finishing his career with the Bengals and if this upcoming season goes anything like the past two, few would be shocked in league circles if Burrow requested a trade.”

“The Bengals have never won a Lombardi Trophy, have had contentious negotiations with several top talents recently (top pass rusher Trey Hendrickson chief among them) and Burrow has talked openly over the years about the toll all of his injuries have had on him.”

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La Canfora also quoted an anonymous executive, “This is it. Dude, they aren’t going out and trading for Maxx Crosby or something like that. The defense sucks. This is the final year that Chase and Higgins are both there. It’s going to come to a head, trust me.”

That’s quite the bombshell for a Top 5 quarterback in the league. The upcoming season could be Burrow’s swan song if the Bengals don’t reach the postseason or make noise in the playoff tournament.

Last December, as Burrow sought to return to the field following an injury, he told reporters. “It feels like everybody’s trying to do everything in their power to make me not play football, and I feel like I’m fighting it. I’m fighting everybody else. I just want to play ball. That’s all I want to do.”

Those comments raised eyebrows because, in addition to his general unhappiness, he couldn’t quite understand why his bosses didn’t want to let him play.

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Vikings as Suitors?

Foremost, if the Bengals did trade Burrow, they probably wouldn’t want him in the AFC, on tap to endure that possible grudge match in the postseason every year. That, in theory, clears 16 teams from the trade field.

Then, the Vikings — also in theory — would need a quarterback, whether now or in 2027, which narrows the field to a handful of NFC teams. Not every NFC teams need a quarterback.

Joe Burrow walks off the field after a Bengals win over the Seahawks.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) heads toward the locker room after a Week 6 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 15, 2023. The Bengals secured a 17-13 home win to move to 3-3 on the season following the tightly contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK.

Thereafter, Burrow and Justin Jefferson played ball together in college at LSU. Hell, they won the National Championship in 2019, the springboard to both men’s 1st-Round draft stock in 2020. They remain friends. Jefferson could act as a recruiter.

Most teams don’t have that criteria going for them, especially the clubs that would enter the Burrow sweepstakes.

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What the Bengals Might Want … the Vikings Have

Cincinnati has created a long and strange relationship with EDGE rusher Trey Hendrickson, who will almost certainly join a new team next week. The knock on recent Bengals teams is defense. If the Burrow trade discussions ever come to life with the Vikings, Cincinnati could inquire about one of Minnesota’s outside linebackers, as the club has three prominent ones: Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner.

Theoretically, when the time comes, the Vikings could ship multiple 1st-Rounders to the Bengals, along with Greenard, for example, to Cincinnati for Burrow.

Minnesota has enough defensive trade pieces to sweeten the deal, particularly if Cincinnati wanted Greenard. The Vikings drafted Dallas Turner two years ago for this moment — when Turner can step into a full-time starter’s role.

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A Reasonable Dead Cap Hit for CIN if It Trades Burrow … Next Year

Here’s the real reason Cincinnati won’t trade Burrow this offseason: it would be on the hook for an extremely wicked, shockingly evil, and vile $56.5 million dead cap hit. Yes, the Burrow trade theory rests on the premise that the Bengals would willingly get rid of a Top 5 NFL quarterback — and also shoot themselves in the foot to the tune of $56.5 million. Not going to happen.

Joe Burrow stands on the sideline after leaving a Bengals-Cardinals game.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) watches from the sideline after exiting a Week 17 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 28, 2025. The Bengals closed out the home contest with a 37-14 victory despite Burrow’s fourth-quarter departure. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Next offseason, though, the dead cap hit in a Burrow trade reduces to $35.7 million, which is still bad but is more reasonable if a divorce is imminent. The Bengals could spread that figure out over a few years and let it ride.

Cincinnati basically owes it to itself to see if Year No. 7 for Burrow will be any different. If not, it can fire Zac Taylor, perhaps entertain a Burrow trade (especially if he requests one), and start all over for a manageable financial penalty.

A Burrow trade isn’t realistic in 2026; the path straightens at this time next year.

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Yall be scratched and beat tf up

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Rapper Doechii doubled down on her anti-cat comments on social media, stirring the ire of cat lovers by claiming that the felines are not friendly animals and don’t want to be domesticated. The Grammy-winning rapper’s comments came via her Threads account on March 2, where she shared her thoughts about people owning cats as pets.

She further suggested that it was very rare for cats to be “immediately lovely without years of pain and work put in,” adding:

“People act like it’s a crime to dislike cats when they genuinely aren’t friendly animals. They don’t wanna be domestic just leave em alone! Like it’s not organic I’m sorrryyy be fr it’s rare that cats are immediately lovey without years of pain and work put in. Yall be scratched and beat tf up by your own animals I can’t lmaooo.”

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Doechii‘s comments garnered immense backlash, prompting her to stand her ground as she responded to various comments under her initial post. She posted a video of Tiffany Pollard saying, “You hating a** b***h, all fraudulent,” to the audience on Flavor of Love in 2006, captioning it, “Me vs Cat owners.”

According to Complex, the rapper hit back at various criticisms under her post. When one commentator indicated that maybe cats didn’t like her, she responded, “It’s mutual.” Meanwhile, another person claimed the rapper had responded to all comments trying to educate her about cats with “passive aggressive bulls**t,” suggesting she had “pure disdain” for the creatures.

The rapper replied that the user was getting “TOO worked up” over the issue, adding, “The world will be fine if Doechii thinks cats are mean.” Another user accused her of spreading common misconceptions surrounding cats to justify her dislike for the felines, resulting in the Denial Is A River rapper replying with:

“I did! And they aren’t misconceptions these are most definitely true and happen errday you CANNOT trick me. If i tell a cat owner to lift they arm sleeve rn they’ll be tore up.”


Doechii recently won her second Grammy

Doechii picked up her second Grammy after her hit song Anxiety won Best Music Video at the prestigious music awards ceremony on February 1, 2026. This is her second Grammy win. In 2025, the rapper made history by becoming one of three women to win Best Rap Album for her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal, following Laryn Hill and Cardi B.

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“I don’t want to make this long. But this category was introduced in 1989, and two women have won. Lauryn Hill—three women have won. Lauryn Hill, Cardi B, and Doechii. I put my heart and my soul into this mixtape. I bared my life. I went through so much. I dedicated myself to sobriety, and God told me that I would be rewarded and that he would show me just how good it can get. I have to thank God,” Doechii said in her acceptance speech.

She further encouraged Black girls and Black women watching her that anything was possible, telling them not to bow down to stereotypes such as “you can’t be here, that you’re too dark, or that you’re not smart enough, or that you’re too dramatic, or you’re too loud.”


Doechii’s Anxiety was nominated in four other categories at the 2026 Grammys, including Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Record of the Year. Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish’s Wildflower, while Record of the Year was won by Kendrick Lamar‘s Luther, featuring SZA. Lamar also won Best Rap Song for TV Off from his 2024 album GNX.