8 Free Agent QBs for Minnesota Vikings if Kirk Cousins Leaves, Ranked by Likelihood
What will the Minnesota Vikings do if Kirk Cousins signs with a different team in free agency? While they could wait for the 2024 NFL Draft in late April, there’s no guarantee the Vikings will find an immediate starter in this year’s rookie pool.
Another option may be to sign a free agent, whether it’s a short-term ‘bridge’ option, or even trying to find a starter who can come close to replacing Cousins’ production at QB. Ranked in order of least likely to most likely to sign with the Vikings, here’s who could replace Cousins at QB next season.
8. Baker Mayfield (Least Likely)
Production-wise, Baker Mayfield may be the best option on this list. The former No. 1 overall pick is coming off one of the best years of his career and has never played with anyone as talented as Justin Jefferson. Mayfield could still become an even better player than the Pro Bowl QB we saw last season, but he ranks so low here because he seems likely to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Related: Vikings Showing Interest in Chiefs Top Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed
7. Russell Wilson
Why would the Vikings go from one 35-year-old QB to another? It’s simple. Cost. Russell Wilson has shown he can not only play at an elite level, even during stretches last season, but the Broncos also owe their former QB $39 million this offseason.
This means Wilson’s best chances of winning are signing for the veteran minimum with a team that gives him a chance to compete for a playoff spot. Russ won’t find a better scenario than in Minnesota, but is there mutual interest? If getting a first-round QB is the top priority, Wilson won’t be joining the Vikings. If the plan is to run it back and go all in on a Super Bowl chase, the odds of Wilson landing in Minnesota skyrocket.
6. Justin Fields
The only player listed here who isn’t a free agent, Justin Fields could very well be up for grabs this offseason. Typically, teams don’t trade quarterbacks within the same division, but if the Bears don’t think their former first-round pick can develop into anything more than a rushing threat, then all options should be considered, even dealing with a rival.
As for the Vikings, taking a chance on a 25-year-old who is one of the best-rushing QBs in the NFL has to hold some appeal, but can Kevin O’Connell and Josh McCown also turn him into a proficient passer?
5. Jimmy Garoppolo
Pushed out of San Francisco and Las Vegas, Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t have traits that jump off the page at anyone. However, this is still a QB who has led his team to two NFC Conference Championships and even a Super Bowl appearance and holds a career win-loss record of 43-20.
If a game-managing bridge option is what the Vikings seek, they may not find a better option than Jimmy G, who may not have a high ceiling, but he also doesn’t have a very low floor.
Related: Local Insiders Suggest PFT’s Mike Florio is Being Played by Kirk Cousins and His Agent
4. Gardner Minshew III
After getting a chance to start for the pre-Trevor Lawrence Jaguars as a sixth-round rookie, Gardner Minshew found himself backing up Anthony Richardson with the Colts this past season. It was by far the best season of the soon-to-be 28-year-old’s career.
Minshew led a Colts team that earned the fourth pick the year prior to the playoffs while leading the 10th-highest scoring offense in the NFL. Imagine what he could do with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson? If nothing else, he’d be a highly capable backup to help train in a rookie.
Related: 3 Running Backs the Vikings Should Target After Releasing Alexander Mattison
3. Ryan Tannehill
Probably no longer viewed as a starting option, Ryan Tannehill, even at the age of 36 (in July), can still help an NFL team in 2024. At his peak, Tannehill was one of the best play-action QBs in the NFL, which leads us to believe he’d be excellent in O’Connell’s system too.
As a former wide receiver, he also has more mobility than most veterans his age. While the Vikes wouldn’t want him to start for a full season, Tannehill may be one of the best experienced vets who could shorten the learning curve for an incoming rookie, and he may not have many other options that give him a chance to play.
2. Jacoby Brissett – Runner Up
You might find bigger names or more complete players, but Jacoby Brissett actually checks a lot of boxes. For one, the 6-foot-4 QB has a lot of zip, which means he’d have no issues connecting with Jefferson and Addison deep down-field.
He’s also had to learn four different systems in the past four years, which means he’d likely quickly get up to speed in Minnesota too. Better yet, Brissett knows he’s not going to land a definite starting role this offseason, but getting a chance to compete on a team full of weapons may be his best chance to impress, should he see the field.
1. Sam Darnold is most likely free agent QB for Minnesota Vikings
That’s right. Of all the QBs available this offseason, Sam Darnold may be the best and most likely fit for the Vikings. The former third-overall pick quickly flamed out with the Jets, but there’s a reason he keeps getting second chances, including most recently with Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers.
If a QB guru like Shanahan was interested in seeing if the 26-year-old had any untapped potential, then you could see how O’Connell feels the same way. After all, Mayfield showed how playing in a new environment, with a good play-caller and decent pass-catchers, can make a world of a difference.
Can the same be true with Darnold? He’d be a very low-cost, low-risk, potentially high-reward signing in Minnesota. And he’s been named by both Alec Lewis (The Athletic) and Darren Wolfson (SKOR North) as someone the Vikings are already interested in.
Read Next: JJ McCarthy, Other Top QB Prospects Infatuated with Kevin O’Connell at NFL Combine
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