QB Wanted: Apply Within (Athleticism an Asset, Accuracy a Must)
K. Joudry
|
Feels strange, doesn’t it, not knowing who Minnesota’s passer is going to be?
Lately, there has been a decent bit of chatter about Kirk Cousins taking off. Since the start, the controversial QB has made it known that his desire was to finish his career in Minnesota. For a while, it looked like he would be able to do so, especially while he was leading the Vikings to a stellar 13-4 record in 2022 and then while battling back from a disastrous start to 2023.
As Cousins is so quick to remind us, though, the NFL actually stands for “Not for Long.” Certainty is in short supple in the National Football League, which is why the quarterback has always been so adamant about locking in fully guaranteed contracts.
Oddly enough, it may be the lack of huge guarantees that officially leads to a situation where Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needs to slap a “QB Wanted: Apply Within” sign out front of TCO Performance Center. Indeed, the irony is that the very tool Cousins uses to gain certainty — massive, full guarantees — is one of the key factors that’s leaving things so uncertain as free agency approaches.
The Vikings, Kirk Cousins, and The Need for a QB in 2024
The Vikings have options.
Nick Mullens isn’t perfect but he’s better than several quarterbacks who started last season. At the very least, the man gives his playmakers a shot. Very little is worse than seeing an elite aerial attack tamed by a passer who doesn’t go a good job of sending the ball to the top-tier skill.
There’s a case to be made that Mullens is a serious option to be the Vikings’ Week 1 starter in 2024. Believe me, folks: Minnesota could do much worse than Mullens.
And then there’s Jaren Hall, the promising passer who played his college ball at BYU. The soon-to-be sophomore is going to be 26 before March flips over to April, a notable reality given that he’s just barely getting his feet wet in the NFL. And while his limited forays into QB1 duties ended up going poorly, the final chapter hasn’t been written for Mr. Hall.
The league more broadly will likely feature some quarterback shuffling, with names like Justin Fields, Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, and Zach Wilson commonly being found swirling in the trade rumors. And then the 2024 NFL Draft promises to be teeming with talent at the ultra-important position. Does Minnesota go to the draft, snatch a youngster, and then move ahead with a Mullens, Hall, & RD1 QB as the three-headed monster in 2024?
It’s a possibility.
But then one steps back a bit more and wonders about the best path, not just the possible path. The Vikings just lived through a season that was undermined by QB instability. All of Cousins, Mullens, and Hall missed time due to injury. All of Mullens, Hall, and Joshua Dobbs got benched due to poor performance. Seeing a repeat of that craziness threatens to make seats warm in Minnesota.
Whoever takes over needs to be accurate. Not shorts and t-shirt accurate, helmet and shoulder pads accurate. Accurate when an angry 320-pound man is moving in for the suplex. Not easy to find, that’s for sure.
And then there’s the brain power to decode things pre-and-post snap. See what the defense is likely to do and then check to the right play. Snap the ball and see if the early intel proved accurate. Be able to adjust on the fly if necessary. Again, not easy.
Almost certainly, Kirk Cousins is the best option if the Vikings prioritize immediate success above all else. The veteran has found a way to keep improving and another year alongside O’Connell would lead to good things, especially if the ground game gets taken seriously.
The major roadblock, of course, is simply the financial component.
With Cousins, money has always been a major deal; so, too, does Adofo-Mensah put finances into a top spot. If there is no extension before Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT, then Minnesota will need to dust off the “Help Wanted” sign for the first time since 2018.
The Vikings Have 1 Week to Make Decisions on 3 Players
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.