There are numerous viewpoints on what the Vikings should do at quarterback this offseason. PFF’s Gordon McGuinness believes Minnesota’s best choice is to re-sign Kirk Cousins and essentially run it back in 2024.
McGuinness just published an essay in which he selected one free agent for each of the NFL’s 32 clubs to pursue – Cousins was his choice for the Vikings.
Maybe the Vikings will feel it’s time to rebuild, but they just narrowly missed the playoffs in 2023, and that was with Kirk Cousins missing the second half of the season. He has a 79.0-plus PFF grade in every season in Minnesota, and while he is unlikely to join the elite ranks in 2024, he is good enough to get the Vikings back to the playoffs, and possibly win the NFC North again. Getting into the postseason with Cousins and hoping for some luck appears to be the Vikings’ best option, given who else is available at the position and where they pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
That last sentence is crucial. Even if you’re not a big Minnesota Vikings Cousins fan, it’s crucial to recognize that there isn’t a clear option to him at this moment. That doesn’t mean the Vikings should re-sign him; it simply explains why it’s something they’ll seriously explore, depending on the price.
If Cousins goes somewhere, what will the Vikings do as quarterback? Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall are not viable starting alternatives. A trade including Russell Wilson does not make sense. If Baker Mayfield receives the franchise tag in Tampa, the top non-Cousins free agent quarterbacks are Brissett, Minshew, Rudolph, F
d Tannehill. The Vikings have the 11th pick in a draft where it might be Caleb Williams or Drake.
Who knows what will happen this offseason; there are numerous alternatives for the Vikings. However, there is no clear method to replace Cousins and improve in the short or long run. That’s why some believe the best choice for the Vikings, given the circumstances, is to bring Cousins back and try once again to make the playoffs and make some noise at quarterback.
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