Just as Kirk Cousins helped the Minnesota Vikings rally back to a .500 record at 4-4, he suffered an Achilles injury that will force the QB out of action for a significant amount of time, if not the entire season, depending on the diagnosis.
The Vikings clearly have a talented group of pass-catchers capable of helping produce a top-ten passing offense when paired with an above-average QB. But without Cousins, the odds of the Vikings catching up to the Detroit Lions for the NFC North division crown or reaching a Wild Card spot are significantly reduced.
But the Vikings won’t want to punt on their season now that they’ve gotten back in the playoff race. For all we know, Justin Jefferson could be set to return after his four-week stint on injured reserve, giving the Vikings another boost to their offense. Yet, again, without a competent QB, none of it will matter.
With just fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall, an injured Nick Mullens, and the recently signed Sean Mannion on the roster and/or practice squad, the Vikings are guaranteed to add a QB before Week 9’s game against Atlanta, but who? Believe it or not, there are several capable solutions for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to consider. Down below, we look at five Vikings QB options to help finish out the season.
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Sign Carson Wentz
Anyone given a chance to test drive the Vikings offense would be getting an opportunity they couldn’t refuse. An All-Pro receiver with Jefferson, a Pro Bowl tight end with T.J. Hockenson, and an emerging Rookie of the Year candidate in Jordan Addison is a trio of pass catchers few can match. But the Vikings can also offer good protection, thanks to boasting the best offensive tackle tandem in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
Meanwhile, unsigned free agent Carson Wentz would likely take any contract offer that came his way, especially one from the team he grew up rooting for. He’s considered the most capable free agent QB available, giving the Vikings a chance to add a potential solution without giving up any precious draft compensation.
While the former Pro Bowl QB has looked nothing like his former self when he was an MVP runner-up in 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he has still shown an ability to lead a competent offense. Wentz has thrown a touchdown on 4.6 percent of his career passes, including on 5.2 percent of his throws in 2021, but he’s never played with receivers like the Vikings have. Considering the 5.2 percent mark would tie for eighth place in the NFL heading into Week 8, the Vikings would likely take that production in Minnesota.
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Trade for Jacoby Brissett
One low-cost solution the Vikings’ front office could turn to is a trade for the Washington Commanders’ backup QB Jacoby Brissett. At the pace Sam Howell’s going at, even though he’s tracking to take a record amount of sacks, the Commanders aren’t going to pull the second-year QB any time soon. Brissett, who signed a one-year contract with Washington in the offseason, is on the trade block for a Commanders team that fell to 3-5 on Sunday.
A former Super Bowl champion, Brissett has been given the chance to start a season for three different franchises, coming with Indianapolis twice and the Cleveland Browns last year. He’s led his teams to an 18-30 record in his career, but Brissett showed his moxie last year on a Browns team without a lot of pass-catching talent a season ago, completing a career-high 64 percent of his passes. He likely wouldn’t cost more than a fifth-round pick, if that.
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Bring Teddy Bridgewater back to purple
This would almost be too good to be true. Teddy Bridgewater was once the franchise QB in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but that timeline was crushed when he suffered a career-altering ACL injury. Bridgewater’s been given a couple other starting opportunities since, but his time in Carolina and Denver didn’t go according to plan.
Yet, Bridgewater’s now backing up Jared Goff for the NFC North rival Detroit Lions. There’s been no indication that he’s available, but it’s hard to envision Detroit turning Bridgewater down if he wanted to return to the team that first believed he could be the face of a franchise. Bridgewater is also on a one-year contract, and the Lions also have Hendon Hooker waiting in the wings, recovering from offseason ACL surgery.
Prying Bridgewater away from the Lions may take a bit of a stronger offer, especially if they were never considering a trade in the first place, but it still shouldn’t take anything more than a fifth-round pick.
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Trade for Ryan Tannehill
If the Vikings want a veteran who’s proven to be elite at the play-action passes the Vikings love to utilize, there may not be anyone better than Ryan Tannehill. Sunday’s four-TD performance by rookie QB Will Levis could cause the Titans to embrace the continued development of their young gunslinger, and if the Vikings make a strong offer, a Tannehill trade may not be out of the question.
Tannehill is dealing with an ankle injury, but the Titans have not placed him on injured reserve, which may mean he’s close to a comeback. The 35-year-old is also in the final year of his contract but has a massive salary of $27 million this season. The Vikings could offer to pay most of the salary while also sending a mid to late-round selection the Titans’ way to give him another chance to advance in the playoffs. Considering Tannehill hasn’t always played the best this season (2 TD, 6 INT), he shouldn’t have a high trade cost.
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Minnesota Vikings trade for Kyler Murray
Cousins is in the final year of his contract. He may want to finish his career in Minnesota, and Coach O’Connell is a big fan of the Vikings QB, but coming back from an Achilles injury is not easy, especially for a player set to turn 36 before next season begins. At some point, the Vikings need to look to the future.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals, who are currently projected to have a top-two pick plus a top-15 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, may be intrigued by a deep QB draft class featuring Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Shedeur Sanders, Michael Penix, and more. Not to mention, this Cardinals regime isn’t the one that made the decision to draft Kyler Murray No. 1 overall. They have zero attachment to him. Oftentimes, new GMs and coaches want to bring in their own QB.
While Murray has proven competent, he hasn’t consistently looked like a franchise-changing solution. If the Cardinals already feel one of the upcoming QB draft prospects can be a difference-maker, the chance to reset with a much less expensive option that aligns with their competitive timeline may make a lot more sense. Trading Murray in-season would incur a ridiculous $46 million dead cap charge in 2024, but the Cardinals and Vikings could simply agree to rework the contract as part of the trade agreement.
Why would the Vikings want Murray? Well, Coach O’Connell has gotten a close look at the Cardinals QB, with his Rams facing Arizona twice per year in the NFC West. He knows the type of headaches the dual-threat QB can five opponents, and he may also privately feel that he could better utilize the mobility of the 26-year-old two-time Pro Bowler.
- Kyler Murray’s career stats: 66.8% comp. rate, 84 TD, 41 INT, 242.9 YPG, 23 TD rush
In Minnesota, Murray would have the protection that he’s never enjoyed in Arizona, plus a true No. 1 receiver. He’d also have an offensive-minded head coach with one of the most creative play designs in the NFL, ready to help Murray live up to his draft status.
Better yet, he’d give the Vikings a chance at buying a potential franchise QB at a fraction of the typical cost. Instead of trading their first-round pick, plus a future first to move up in the 2024 NFL Draft, they may just have to part with their top selection in April, if that, for the $230 million QB signed through 2028.
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