BREAKING: Vikings decision after losing cousin Kirk
Kirk Cousins left the team due to injury after being released
Kirk Cousins was sacked in the fourth quarter.
The Packers come out of the game limping ahead.
Green Bay, Wisconsin — The Minnesota Vikings’ postgame locker room at Lambeau Field might have been quiet Sunday afternoon if it weren’t for the traditional postgame boombox playing party music. Despite beating the Green Bay Packers 24-10, the players remained silent. Reporters were close enough to hear their emotional comments.
Finally, coach Kevin O’Connell said, “They know the expected outcome of quarterback Kirk Cousins’ right Achilles injury.” As O’Connell spoke from the podium, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Cousins had torn his Achilles tendon.
The injury will likely end his season if the team confirms it.
The Vikings players and coaches had to send the impact layers of the moment.
“Everybody in our locker room is thinking about our leaders and our players,” O’Connell said.
But it’s not just Cousins’ immediate status that will affect the Vikings’ competitiveness for the rest of the season.
Especially after their record dropped to 4-4.
Will they keep fifth-round pick Jaren Hall, who played Sunday, try to secure a quarterback before Tuesday’s trade deadline, or sign a cheap veteran like Matt Ryan?
Did Cousins play his last game with the Vikings?
Let’s take a look at each issue of what will be one of the most influential days in recent Viking history.
What is the recovery period for Cousins’ injury?
If ruled out completely, Cousins will miss the rest of the season.
Every injury is different, and Cousins turns 36 next summer.
But according to the standard Achilles tendon rupture timeline, Cousins has a chance to be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
- Kevin Seifert
Will Minnesota sign Hall as the starter?
Not. The Vikings may not have the option to start Hall for their Week 9 game at the Atlanta Falcons, but O’Connell didn’t fully trust him after Sunday’s game.
“I think we need to look at all the options available to us, including building the best team around Jaren,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell mentioned that veteran backup Nick Mullens, who has been on injured reserve since October, could be activated in Week 10. 11 due to a back injury.
Veteran Sean Mannion, who started both games Cousins missed during his time with the Vikings, is on the practice squad.
“[Mullens] is moving forward,” O’Connell said.
“So I don’t want to do it one way or the other.” – Seifert
What are Hall’s good qualities and what can we expect from him?
Hall shows great patience in the pocket when reading what’s going on and always looks very comfortable and in control when scanning the defense. He was impressive with his deep impact ahead of the 2023 draft. Hall has slightly above-average arms and makes up for it with solid ball placement in the defensive third.
Once Hall takes control, he can dominate the offense.
Vikings have explosive pass catchers: WR Justin Jefferson (injured), TE T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison.
That’s why it’s so important to keep the offense on track and avoid turnovers.
Especially since he doesn’t really stand out as a runner.
— Jordan Reed
If it’s Hall, who’s backing him?
At this point, Hall is safe to say he’s done with Sunday’s game.
O’Connell hasn’t committed to anything else, including whether Hall will be the mandatory starter in Week 9.
Either way, the Vikings will need to add a third quarterback to ensure a normal practice. But the real question is whether the Vikings will sign or bring in someone before Tuesday’s trade deadline when an upgrade is needed.
After all, the Vikings are in the NFC playoff race and will be just one game out of the NFC North lead if the Detroit Lions lose to the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. — Seifert
Which QB could the Vikings consider?
If the Vikings want to add a veteran to start or back up Hall, they will have to evaluate several free agent or trade options, but there is no definitive answer.
Let’s start with free agents.
Carson Wentz is working on his opportunity, but his free agent profile hasn’t improved. Joe Flacco is a Super Bowl winner who played well in his last NFL game, but hasn’t been a regular starter since 2019.
Matt Ryan seems right at home on TV.
When it comes to “fit,” Colt McCoy makes sense.
He spent three years with O’Connell in Washington and they remained on good terms.
I think it might be worth a call.
The Vikings’ approach to the trade market will be interesting.
Because I don’t consider buying when in a competitive rebuild.
But they are not real candidates for replacements.
At 4-4, Minnesota can make the playoffs and win their division.
The Vikings have multiple fifth- and sixth-round picks in 2024, so they may be willing to give up one for a bridge quarterback.
The Chiefs have received a call from Jacoby Brissett but have no intention of trading him just yet. Case Keenum is Houston’s third stringer and has experience in O’Connell’s offense.
Bringing him back would be the cheaper option for both of us. Ryan Tannehill’s wrist injury complicates things for Tennessee, who will need him in the second half.
Minnesota won’t spend much anyway. — Jeremy Fowler
What does this mean for the Vikings at the trade deadline?
In addition to acquiring a quarterback, the Vikings have at least one big-market player who sparked interest at the trade deadline.
Running back Daniel Hunter recorded his 10th sack of the season on Sunday, marking his second consecutive double-digit sack season. His contract expires in March, and the Vikings have agreed not to use the franchise tag on him as part of their summer restructuring.
But they gave no indication Sunday whether the Vikings plan to sit out the season because of Cousins’ injury. Owners Ziggy and Mark Wilf have never allowed the team to go into rebuilding mode in 18 seasons, and given the Vikings’ current favorable position in the NFC, it’s hard to imagine them getting the green light. — Seifert
Does the loss of a relative affect Jefferson?
Jefferson must sit out at least a week before being eligible to return from injured reserve since October.
Because of the 11-joint injury.
O’Connell said last week that “everything is on schedule, as we hoped,” but did not say whether he thought Jefferson would be ready to return when he became eligible.
Jefferson and Cousins have started all but four games since the start of the 2020 season, playing in 354 of Jefferson’s 360 career snaps.
However, at this point it is unlikely that the competitive impact of Cousins’ absence will cause Jefferson to delay his return.
As was the case with his recovery, the Vikings expect Jefferson to return once all parties agree he is 100 percent healthy. — Seifert
What does the injury mean for Cousins’ future?
The remainder of Cousins’ contract expires next March, with a guaranteed trip to free agency after March 5 to introduce franchise players if he chooses.
The Vikings’ plan was to see how the season went and see how Cousins performed before making a decision on his future.
As for the performance, O’Connell said Sunday that Cousins had “his best season as a pro.” As of Sunday night, Cousins was tied for second in passing yards with 2,331 and tied for the NFL lead with 18 touchdowns.
9th in yards and total QBR (64.4).
No one knows how the Vikings will respond to the loss of their starting quarterback, with the competition determining whether they have a chance to select a top quarterback in the 2024 draft.
But now the problem has changed.
He no longer wonders whether to bring in a defender who is playing the best football of his life.
Now they must decide whether it makes sense to bring back the defender, who turns 36 in August and is coming off the first serious injury of his professional career.
That combination alone suggests Cousins is less likely to play for Minnesota next season than he was starting Sunday. — Seifert
