4 Free Agent Quarterbacks Vikings Could Call to Replace Kirk Cousins

It finally happened, Ironman Kirk Cousins finally fell to an injury for the first time in his entire career as an NFL quarterback. Following his torn Achilles on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings must find a new starting QB for the first time in 6.5 seasons.

When Kirk went down, head coach Kevin O’Connell turned to rookie backup, Jaren Hall, who went 3/4 for 23 yards. But after three straight wins, the Vikings have gone from 1-4 to 4-4 and find themselves in the playoff bracket, were the season to end right now.

Vikings re-set:

Record 4-4

Standing: 2nd in NFC North, 7th in NFC playoffs

Remaining strength of schedule: 7th-easiest/NFL

Healthy QBs: Jaren Hall, Sean Mannion

Injured QBs: Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens

Defense: No. 4 in points allowed per game (16) in Weeks 4-8

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 30, 2023

Related: Vikings Teammates React to Kirk Cousins Achilles Injury with Shock, Concern and Prayers

What will Minnesota Vikings do with Kirk Cousins out?

Are they really going to turn to a 5th-round rookie, given the amount of win-now talent this roster has? Or, will Vikings ownership have GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah desperately scrape the trade market for a better option before the deadline bell goes off on Tuesday (tomorrow) at 3 p.m. CDT?

O’Connell told media yesterday that they will exhaust all options before deciding on a path forward. But let’s be real, the Wilfs are suckers for desperation-mode transactions. Now that the season is back on track, I’d be surprised if they wave the white flag on 2023.

The problem in finding a decent replacement for Cousins won’t be come on the Vikings’ demand side. It’ll be on the supply side. It takes two to tango, in a trade, and teams do not unload quarterbacks for cheap, in case you weren’t aware. But the outlook isn’t any better if they decide to go swimming in the QB free agency pool…

4 Free Agent Quarterbacks Vikings Should Call

So, if Kwesi & Co really do exhaust all options, both via trade and free agency. Let’s start with the latter. Here are 4 free agent QBs the Minnesota Vikings be in contact with, as possibilities to replace Kirk Cousins.

Make the call just in case…

Tom Brady – Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should have been on the phone with Tom Brady’s agent yesterday, the moment he saw the slow motion video of Kirk Cousins’ right Achilles tendon snapping.

What are the chances Brady is in football shape and hungry to jump on a talented roster, mid season, with a young offensive-minded head coach and play-caller? Not very good… but you make the call anyway. And don’t forget the ‘Brady used to spend summers in Minnesota” angle…

More Realistic Free Agent Options

Carson Wentz – The former NDSU star is only 30-years-old but he hasn’t been good for four years. From 2017-2019, though, Wentz was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, throwing for 81 touchdowns, just 21 interceptions and over 10,000 passing yards.

Tik tokers are too young to remember 2017 Carson Wentz but they woulda been obsessed pic.twitter.com/IFawZzXfxa

— VBS (@VBSofficial_) October 24, 2023

Since, he’s looked like a shell of the QB he once was. Wentz has played for three different teams in the last three seasons. Still, he’s one of the more intriguing options. As recently as 2021, with the Colts, Wentz started 17 games, throwing for 3500 yards, 27 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions. He hasn’t been on an NFL roster since February, when he was cut by the Washington Commanders.

Related: It’s Very Possible Ezra Cleveland Never Plays for Vikings Again

Colt McCoy – At 37 years old, Colt McCoy could fit the type of quarterback that Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi-Adofo Mensah would prefer to bring in. He spent time with both the Vikings current head coach and injured QB Kirk Cousins, while in Washington and even spent time with the GM early in both of their NFL careers, with the Cleveland Browns.

He would have a relatively good grasp of the offensive concepts O’Connell is teaching, along with a veteran presence and stability that could settle nerves among the fanbase and in the Vikings locker room. But, Colt McCoy is a career backup and starting the next 9 games in purple would mean the most starts of his career, outside of the 13 games he started for Cleveland over a decade ago, in 2011.

Nick Foles – Another career backup, Foles is a 34-year-old veteran QB who knows how to win big games and can manage an offense, in case of emergency, which the Vikings have on their hands right now. He seems like the longest shot of these three realistic free agent options, but he’s an option nonetheless.

Outside of a miraculous Brett Favre Tom Brady signing, none of there’s a legitimate conversation to be had one whether or not any of the above free agent quarterbacks would be an improvement on what the Minnesota Vikings already have in rookie, Jaren Hall.

Unless Kwesi and O’Connell see something different, they’ll need to hit the trade market if they want to try and do that. Even then, most options aren’t great.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan