The Irony of Minnesota’s QB Uncertainty and Kirk Cousins’s Departure
The implications for the entire quarterback room are just one of the many ironic levels surrounding Kirk Cousins’ exit.
At first look, Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall should be happy about losing the team’s quarterback. On the depth chart, both were positioned a little higher (at least until Sam Darnold was brought in). However, the position is now very precarious as a result of losing the top passer. The Vikings will give carefully considered consideration to whether to give a quarterback a first-round pick over the course of the next three weeks, a move that might completely upend the QB hierarchy from the previous season.
Kirk Cousins’s Exit & The Unpredictability of The QB Room
It’s possible that the choice to remove the cornerstone was sufficient to bring the house toppling entirely.
Cousins has been Minnesota’s best passer since 2018. Over the years, he has demonstrated incredible tenacity and resilience, regularly getting knocked down and confused but still managing to push through. That is, of course, before his 2023 campaign was cut short by a non-contact injury (a torn Achilles).
The veteran was quickly signed by the Falcons, who paid him a whopping $180 million over the course of the four-year contract. Clearly, there was a limit to how far the Vikings could take Cousins. It’s obvious that the Vikings saw a competing offer surpass that cap.
The choice to sign Sam Darnold, the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, has been the most obvious outcome. Darnold, who is only 26, will try to launch his career with his fourth NFL franchise. The 49ers last season used him as a backup while he learned from one of the greatest football minds in the world, Kyle Shanahan, after his assignments with the Jets and Panthers didn’t work out.
The constant presence of Mullens and Hall—who both battled injuries and alternated between starting and benching in 2023—has been a factor in all of these selections. Going ahead, neither can be guaranteed a berth on the roster.
Either No. 11 or No. 23 might be used on a passer by the Vikings. Alternatively, it is possible that the Vikings might utilize picks No. 11 and No. 23 to get a high pick and a prospective passer from a very high draft position (perhaps in the 3-5 area). Under such circumstances, Minnesota would have just two guarantees at quarterback in 2024: Darnold would be allowed to serve as the team’s bridge starter and the highly-selected rookie would receive greater resources from the coaching staff, trainers, and staff members.
Mullens and Hall would be in a vulnerable position with the return of seasoned Darnold and promising rookie. Both have shown promise and have fans in Eagan (as well as, of course, throughout the NFL). However, it would be nearly impossible for a Vikings club hoping to contend in 2024 to keep four quarterbacks.
It would almost certainly be at least one, if not both, deducted before the games began in September.
Thus, there’s an irony to Cousins’ exit. The Vikings may have needed Mullens and Hall more than ever if they had lost the franchise quarterback. Rather, the Darnold trade and having enough draft cash to target a highly-regarded young passer cast doubt on their purple futures.
In his 29 NFL games, Mullens, 29, has started 20 of them. He seems to be a possibility for trade. In Minnesota, Hall’s employment security is somewhat increased due to his age of 26 and his selection in the fifth round.
