The Five Paths the Vikings Can Take at QB in 2024
The Minnesota Vikings have an interesting decision to make at the quarterback position this offseason.
Kirk Cousins is entering free agency, and Minnesota holds the 11th overall pick, which very well could be used on a QB. Overall, the Vikings have five paths that they can take to find their next QB. Here is a look at each of them.
Re-Sign Kirk Cousins to Long-Term Deal
It would certainly be a risky proposition, but the Vikings theoretically could decide that they want Cousins as their quarterback for the next three to four years. Before his Achilles injury, Cousins was playing some of the best football of his career even without Justin Jefferson in the lineup.
There is also the possibility that Minnesota simply isn’t wowed by any of the draft prospects at the position (especially those available at 11th overall) this spring to the point where they can warrant a selection.
Draft a Starter
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated during the end-of-season press conference that this is a “big offseason” for the Vikings. Minnesota could make no bigger decision this offseason than to draft a QB in the first round (particularly through a trade up the draft board), let Kirk Cousins go, and immediately throw said rookie into the starting lineup. This would immediately move us into the next era of Vikings football
There are plenty of starting options in this spring’s draft, especially near the top. In order to pull off a selection of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, Minnesota likely needs to trade a good chunk of draft capital to move up the board.
The “Double Up” Path
Personally, this would be my preferred route for the Vikings to take this offseason. Minnesota could re-sign Cousins for 2024 while also drafting their “QB of the future” in the first round. Cousins gets to lead the charge when it comes to remaining competitive while the rookie QB works toward the other half of the GM’s philosophy: the rebuild.
This option also allows whichever QB prospect that the Vikings ultimately draft to sit behind Cousins for a year and learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense without a ton of pressure being thrown on his shoulders immediately.
Push the Long-Term Decision Off a Year
This option would not be enjoyed by many Vikings fans, but Minnesota could still opt to push their long-term choice to 2025. This route would entail signing Cousins to another short-term deal while also not drafting his successor, opting to fill other needs through the draft.
It seems like a very unlikely option, especially given Adofo-Mensah’s words in January, but it is still a possibility and is essentially what Minnesota did in 2023.
Sign a Bridge Guy
Again, this path would not be very popular with Vikings fans. There seem to be two camps of fans heading into the offseason. One wants to see Cousins return, and the other is ready for Minnesota to move on and find a younger, cheaper option for their QB1.
It’s still an option for the Vikings, though. A number of veterans likely will hit the open market in March, including Baker Mayfield, Gardner Minshew, Jameis Winston, and Russell Wilson. The Vikings got a few positive games out of Josh Dobbs during the 2023 season, and all four of these options would be more talented.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.