12 QBs the Vikings Could Acquire, Ranging From Realistic to Ridiculous
Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles tear on Sunday puts the franchise in a tough spot. They’ve won three in a row to get back to 4-4, but now they find themselves without their starting QB in the middle of the season.
“Quite honestly, this is going to be a challenge,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said on Monday. “But I believe this is why we’re here — to help navigate through tough times and ultimately challenge, develop, encourage and then have confidence.”
There are a bunch of options on the table. Rookie Jaren Hall stepped in when Cousins went down, and he’s — at least for now — the clear favorite to start Sunday’s game against the Falcons. Nick Mullens is on injured reserve but will be eligible to return soon.
There are also a wide range of external candidates that could make sense within the context of the Vikings’ competitive rebuild. Maybe that’s a free agent. Maybe that’s a trade before Tuesday’s deadline at 3 p.m. central time. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Monday that the Vikings haven’t had significant conversations about trading for a QB, but it doesn’t feel like something that can be ruled out.
Is it a short-term only thing?” O’Connell said. “Is it something that could be more long-term? Is it something that truly is an upgrade versus just the sheer dealing with the reality of a tough situation right now? That’s what we have to work through.”
This was the quote of the day from O’Connell: “You wouldn’t believe some of the things on my cell phone I’ve received over here in less than 24 hours.”
Let’s go over 12 potential quarterbacks the Vikings could add, ranging from realistic to completely absurd.
Colt McCoy (FA)
This feels like the most likely option. McCoy overlapped with O’Connell in Washington from 2017-19 and worked out for the Vikings earlier this month when Mullens got hurt. He’s 37, but he made eight total starts over the last three seasons. McCoy could serve as Hall’s backup or be in the mix to start.
If the Vikings want to make more of a splashy free agent addition, Wentz is probably the best player out there. He wants to play and has been biding his time for an opportunity. Wentz started 92 games over the past seven seasons and has hit high peaks as a playmaker. His final year in Philadelphia and his 2022 season with Washington went poorly, but he actually played pretty well with the Colts in 2021. It could take him a bit to learn the system, but Wentz’s raw talent might be able to show up in an O’Connell-coached offense that features players like Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Addison, Christian Darrisaw, and Brian O’Neill.
Would the Vikings consider making a trade to bring back Keenum for another run? He’s currently the third-string QB in Houston behind C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills. The Texans seem to value his leadership, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t consider moving him for a late-round pick. Keenum has made just two starts since 2019, but he’s an intriguing option nonetheless. He overlapped with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in Cleveland for a couple years.
