The Minnesota Vikings are set to sign new free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins even though the four-time Pro Bowler suffered a season-ending Achilles tear last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini broke the news on Saturday:
Cousins is out for the season and will be a free agent in 2024,andquot; Russini wrote. andquot;Although his future is unclear, conversations with sources over the past few months always indicate that Minnesota is trying to get him back and that there are many in the building and locker room who want him.
NFL Network and Ian Rapoport echoed the Russian report from Sunday morning: and quot;The Vikings, who start rookie Jaren Hall today against the Falcons, may still select a quarterback in the 2024 draft. But the move could be tied to Cousins’ return , sources say.andquot;
Cousins, who turns 36 next season, leads the NFL with 18 passing yards and 211 touchdowns.He emerged quickly for a third straight Pro Bowl, completing 69.5 percent of his passes for 291.4 yards per game. The quarterback rating of 103.8 is also third in the NFL. The Vikings were on the rise before Cousins’ injury, winning three straight to go 4-4 and clinch the final NFC playoff spot two months later.
Minnesota’s offense was also fantastic, averaging 5.7 yards per play, sixth most in the NFL. It’s easy to see why the Vikings would beinterested in bringing Cousins back. Simply put, Minnesota has done well with him, and a healthy return to the mix could bring success again. In addition, he has a big fan in head coach Kevin O’ Connell, who has made it clear that he wants Cousins back.Yeah, you know how I feel about Kirk. Kirk knows how I feel about Kirk O Connell told reporters on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
I think he played as well as anybody in the National Football League, and one of the hardest parts of going through that… [was] he had the best season in the National Football League and where we could be gone as a player. a team I hope we still get to that place. But I know without Kirk Cousins and the high-level quarterbacking that we get from him every week, it will be a challenge, but we have to accept that and try to be successful.andquot;
Right now, the Vikings are giving the signal-calling duties to rookie Jaren Hall, who saw his firstaction in place of Cousins late in Minnesota and the win against Green Bay last Sunday. Working as the backup is Josh Dobbs, who the Vikings acquired from the Arizona Cardinals for a sixth-round pick. The Vikings still have former assistant Nick Mullens on injured reserve and Sean Mannio on the practice squad. However, Hall will get his first start in Atlanta on Sunday at1 p.m. ET.
