Kirk Cousins’ Departure and The Irony of the QB Uncertainty Engulfing Minnesota
There are several layers of irony standing behind Kirk Cousins’ departure, one of which being the ramifications within the QB room as a whole.
Upon first glance, losing the team’s QB1 should be good news for Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall. Both got slotted up a bit higher on the depth chart (at least until Sam Darnold was onboarded). But then the reality is that losing the top passer has left the position with much uncertainty. Over the next three(ish) weeks, the Vikings will be thinking long and hard about sinking a 1st into a QB, a decision that could lead to totally dismantling last season’s QB hierarchy.
Kirk Cousins’ Departure & The QB Room’s Instability
Quite possibly, the decision to remove the cornerstone will have been enough to completely topple the house.
Since 2018, Cousins has been the top passer in Minnesota. He has shown remarkable resilience and toughness over the years, getting walloped and suplexed with regularity and yet somehow finding a way to keep going. That is, of course, until a non-contact injury — a torn Achilles — ended his 2023.
The Falcons swooped in to sign the veteran, handing over a massive four-year commitment that promises to pay $180 million in that timeframe. The Vikings, quite evidently, had a limit for how high they could go with Cousins. The Vikings, quite evidently, saw that limit surpassed by a rival offer.
The most direct result has been the decision to sign Sam Darnold, the 3rd pick from the 2018 NFL Draft. Only 26, Darnold will look to get his career off the ground with his fourth NFL team. The Jets and Panthers assignments didn’t work out and last season’s pit stop with the 49ers was to function as a backup while soaking up wisdom from Kyle Shanahan, one of the most brilliant minds in football.
Within all of these decisions has been the ongoing presence of Mullens and Hall, both of whom took turns starting and getting benched in 2023 (both battled injury, as well). Neither is assured of their roster spot moving forward.
The Vikings could use either No. 11 or No. 23 on a passer. Or, perhaps, the Vikings could turn No. 11 and No. 23 into a high pick, bringing in a promising passer from very high in the draft (likely the 3-5 range). In that scenario, Minnesota would only have two assurances at quarterback in 2024: Darnold would be given the chance to function as the bridge starter and the highly-chosen rookie would have resources poured into him by coaches, trainers, and the team’s staff more broadly.
The veteran Darnold and upside rookie would leave Mullens and Hall in a precarious spot. Both have shown promise and both have their supporters in Eagan (and, to be sure, around the NFL more broadly). Keeping four QBs, though, would be next to impossible for a Vikings team that is trying to compete in 2024.
At least one, but maybe both, would very likely be subtracted prior to games starting in September.
There’s an irony, then, standing behind Cousins’ departure. Losing the long-time top passer could have resulted Mullens and Hall being more important than ever for the Vikings. Instead, their purple futures look uncertain due to the Darnold deal and then the presence of enough draft capital to go snag a highly-regarded rookie passer.
Mullens, 29, has played in 29 games in his NFL career, starting 20. He looks like a trade candidate. Hall’s status as a 5th-round pick and his age (26) combine to give him a bit more job security in Minnesota.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.