The Minnesota Vikings were having a great Week 8 until they weren't. In a rivalry matchup against the Packers, the Vikings took over the game and stormed to a 24-3 lead in the third quarter.
Minnesota went on to win the game 24-10, but the mood was down in the Vikings locker room because quarterback Kirk Cousins went down with a non-contact injury. Head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed after the game that the team fears Cousins suffered an Achilles injury. Once an MRI confirms, the injury is expected to be season-ending.
What can the Vikings do to replace Cousins?
2. Trey Lance or Cooper Rush
The Vikings missed what would have been the perfect move earlier this year when they didn't spend the fourth-rounder the Cowboys used to get Trey Lance. But sitting in regret isn't useful. Making the move now will cost slightly more, but could matter more as well.
Lance is an enigma multiple NFL teams have tried to figure out. The 49ers drafted him No. 3 overall because they saw his talent, but it never materialized into success in San Francisco and after an injury he was beaten out by Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold on the depth chart. The Cowboys took the chance on him because of his potential, but he's served only as the team's emergency quarterback, not yet elevating into a backup role behind Dak Prescott.
So a call to Dallas is at least warranted to find out if they'd be willing to get an improved return on what they spent to get a quarterback they're not even using. The Vikings have a fourth-rounder from Detroit to use as well as their own.
And if they aren't willing to budge on the former 49er, that call could just as easily shift towards Cooper Rush, the backup who seems destined to lose his job to Lance. Rush, who is 5-1 as a starter, should come cheaper than Lance but could keep the ship steady in Minnesota.
1. Jacoby Brissett
The Washington Commanders were in a similar position to the Vikings heading toward the NFL trade deadline with a decision to make. But while Minnesota improved to 4-4 and made selling at the deadline less likely, Washington dropped to 3-5 and now looks like the most likely seller in the league.
On Sunday, Adam Schefter reported that the Commanders are prepared to move several of their upcoming free agents, including backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett has started 48 games across four franchises during his career. He was solid for the Browns in 2022 while holding a place for Deshaun Watson, going 4-7 with a career-best quarterback rating of 88.9. He threw for 12 touchdowns and rushed for two more but also threw six interceptions.
The Vikings have Nick Mullens but he's on injured reserve until at least Week 10 and it's not immediately clear how healthy he'll be after that. Sean Mannion on their practice squad. At 0-2 in his Vikings career, that's not an encouraging option. Brissett has more quality experience and has shown a greater propensity to win than either Mullens and Mannion. And he's available, presumably for cheap.
Brissett would be unlikely to lead Minnesota to the playoffs, but he'd at least have a chance. He'd keep things stable and once again hold a place for Cousins to return in 2024 or the Vikings to find someone new to lead their franchise.
What move should the Vikings avoid?
Vikings should avoid Justin Fields or Kyler Murray trade
Realistically, the most likely path forward for the Vikings is to stay put, relying on Mullens or Mannion to get them through the rest of the season. That likely means giving up on the playoffs but the plus side could be an improved draft pick to find the next franchise quarterback in Minnesota.
The 2024 NFL Draft has strong depth at quarterback. The Vikings aren't going to be in a position to draft Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, but the likes of Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy, Quinn Ewers and Jordan Travis could be available later in the first round. This is a good opportunity for the Vikings to get a quality passer without having to trade up significantly.
That's why it's important to avoid the siren song of a trade for a quarterback like Justin Fields or Kyler Murray. Now isn't the time to commit a great deal of draft capital to a stand-in QB. Spending a fourth or more on Trey Lance would already be a stretch, but one that could be worth it. The likelihood of Fields or Murray actually being the franchise guy is too low to take the gamble.