It’s a big year ahead for Kirk Cousins. After all, now that he’s entering the final year of his contract, this could very well be his final year for the Minnesota Vikings. It doesn’t seem like the Minnesota front office is very keen on extending the 34-year-old’s deal beyond 2023, which means that they have already been thinking of life after Cousins.
Cody Williams of Fansided has presented five quarterback options for the Vikings that could potentially step in as Cousins’ replacement should the team decide to go in a different direction next season.
Minnesota Vikings: 3 Potential Kirk Cousins Replacements in NFL
If the Vikings opt to bring in a short-term answer to their post-Cousins quarterback questions, then they could do far worse than Ryan Tannehill, who himself is going to be a free agent again next summer. The former Pro Bowl QB still has a lot of gas left in the tank, and the fact that he almost led the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs last season is a clear testament to this fact. However, Tannehill will be 36 next season, making him nothing more than a stop-gap option for the Vikings.
If Minnesota decides to go for a more long-term solution, then Sam Darnold could be an option for them. It’s no secret that the former USC standout has failed to live up to the lofty expectations everyone had of him when the New York Jets selected him third overall in 2018. He has a fresh start with the San Francisco 49ers this season, and assuming that he doesn’t stink it up under Kyle Shanahan, then the Vikings could probably take a huge gamble on him next year.
Speaking of long-term solutions, a much better option for Minnesota could come in the form of Arizona Cardinals star QB Kyler Murray. The Cardinals could end up with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks for the 2024 NFL Draft, and if they pick up a new quarterback next year, then that will likely put an end to the Kyler Murray era in Arizona. If ever, the Vikings should seriously consider pouncing on that situation.
Minnesota Vikings Dig Into Draft for Long-Term Kirk Cousins Successor
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There are still some relatively high hopes for Cousins and the Vikings this season. However, it might not be such a bad thing if they end up having a bad year — at least in terms of finding a long-term quarterback replacement.
Minnesota isn’t likely to get a Top 2 pick in next year’s draft, which means that a swoop for Caleb Williams will most likely require them to trade up to get a shot at the highly-touted USC quarterback. The Vikings will likely need to give up a major haul, but it should be a worthwhile investment for them.
Another option in the draft would be Texas Longhorns star Quinn Ewers. While the 20-year-old isn’t at the same level as Caleb Williams, he would still be an excellent option for the Vikings. Ewers’ college career has been riddled with injury, but as long as he gets healthy, he does have to potential to be the cornerstone quarterback of the future for Minnesota.
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