The Minnesota Vikings saw their season take a major blow this past Sunday as quarterback Kirk Cousins reportedly tore his Achilles tendon in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers.
The Vikings are riding high on a three-game winning streak, but not having their starting quarterback with how the team is structured is heartbreaking and could crater the season.
There are multiple options that the Vikings could take and they start in-house. Jaren Hall replaced Cousins on the field Sunday afternoon and is the likely option moving forward. There is also Nick Mullens who can return from injured reserve next week against the Atlanta Falcons.
If they don’t like either of those two options, they can try and trade for someone at the trade deadline, which is Halloween. There aren’t going to be many teams who will want to trade a quarterback at the end of October, but its not unprecedented.
It’s slim pickings for a position that is very shallow but there are options available. Here are 11 quarterbacks that the Vikings could acquire after the unfortunate injury to Cousins.
Dolphins QB Mike White
While he is physically limited, White is a player that can attack in the short and intermediate ranges. He played really well against the Vikings in 2022 and is currently serving as the backup for the Miami Dolphins. With how the Vikings operate their offense, White could be a good fit.
Texans QB Davis Mills
The Vikings had a chance to pick Mills in the 2021 NFL draft but chose Kellen Mond instead. The Texans selected Mills just one pick later. He started 26 games for a bad Texans team and had streaks of really solid play. The Texans didn’t think it was enough to build around him but the Vikings could capitalize for a late round pick.
Texans QB Case Keenum
The second of the two backups to C.J. Stroud, Keenum spent one magical season in 2017 with the Vikings. He nearly led them to the Super Bowl and was the catalyst for the Minneapolis Miracle. While Keenum isn’t a true difference maker, he could provide that veteran presence in the locker room and has a familiarity with many in the organization.
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill
If the Vikings want to trade for a quarterback, why not get a guy whose closest comparison is Cousins? The Tennessee Titans have two quarterbacks on the roster in Will Levis and Malik Willis who both seem to be worth developing and with a 3-5 record and Tannehill set to be a free agent, getting a pick back for him could be a smart play. He would be expensive, as his base salary is $27 million so they would have to maneuver there.
Cowboys QB Trey Lance
With Cousins injured, it’s a good idea to see what you have in Jaren Hall. At the same time, maybe they can pry away Lance from the Cowboys. Viewed as a bust by many, Lance still has excellent talent and exceptional tools to work with. With a few games to learn the system, Lance could have upward of six games to see if he could be the future.
For what its worth, the Vikings did discuss a trade for Lance this offseason.
Saints QB Jameis Winston
Fans were clamoring for Winston a few years back during one of the periods that Cousins struggled. A very volatile quarterback, Winston has all the arm talent in the world and could be a good option with the Saints getting rookie Jake Haener back and having Taysom Hill on the roster. He is 34-46 in his career with a 139:97 TD:INT ratio.
Chiefs QB Blaine Gabbert
Gabbert ended up as a bust when the Jacksonville Jaguars 10th overall in the 2011 NFL draft, but he’s found his niche in the league as a solid backup quarterback. Gabbert is 13-35 as a starter, but eight of those wins have come in his last 21 starts. This is unlikely, as the Chiefs like to have a veteran behind Cousins and he’s similar to Nick Mullens.
Eagles QB Marcus Mariota
The second overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Mariota has seen plenty of things during his career. He has started 74 games including 13 for the Atlanta Falcons last season. Mariota is mobile but struggles to throw with anticipation and reading the field. He is 34-40 across his 74 starts with a 92:54 TD:INT ratio.
Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater
You won’t have to make any jersey swaps for this guy, as the Vikings selected Bridgewater in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. Bridgewater has lost some of the little zip on his arm, but he throws with accuracy and decent anticipation. He would likely not cost much, but would come with the caveat that rookie Hendon Hooker is healthy, as he is still on the NFI list from his torn ACL in college.
Washington QB Jacoby Brissett
Brissett is a long time journeyman starter. After being a fourth-round pick in 2016, the Patriots traded him to the Indianpolis Colts where he started 30 games for. He also started five games for the Miami Dolphins and 11 games last season for the Cleveland Browns. He isn’t someone who will elevate you, but can win you games in a pinch.
Free agent QB Carson Wentz
Wentz isn’t a spectacular quarterback, but he has shown he can be a winner during his career. With a career record of 46-45-1, Wentz also has a positive TD:INT ratio at 151:66. he started to really struggle after his MVP caliber season in 2017 but he’s far and away the best option on the free agent market.
