Don’t Read Too Much Into Vikings Exploring Extra FA Quarterback
The quarterback is the standard-bearer for an NFL franchise. So, when the Minnesota Vikings were rumored on Sunday to be in the market for one, interest piqued.
At the team’s nighttime practice this weekend, Minnesota was without three quarterbacks — Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond, and Nate Stanley due to COVID-related dealings. Jake Browning, who is in the running for QB2, filled in astutely as the only thrower of the football available.
For short-term planning, though, general manager Rick Spielman was allegedly on the horn for another depth quarterback.
A second-year passer from Northern Arizona was the first to enter the rumor mill.
The #Vikings have started the process of looking to bring in another QB this week and I'm told a strong possible candidate now is Case Cookus, who was undrafted in 2020 out of Northern Arizona and spent some offseason time last year with Giants and with Broncos earlier this year.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) August 1, 2021
Then, it was a hometowner.
With three quarterbacks isolated under COVID protocols, the #Vikings plan to work out former St. John’s (Minn.) QB Jackson Erdmann on Monday, per source. @jerdydude — last seen playing for the @fcflio champ Wild Aces — threw at Minnesota’s recent receiver workout and impressed.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 1, 2021
And then we really stretched our imaginations to a guy that VikingsTerritory has never heard of.
I'm told that QB Jake Rudock, who played in college at Iowa and Michigan and had NFL stints with the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins has retired from football. Rudock, 28, last was in the NFL with the Dolphins to finish last season.
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) August 1, 2021
All in all, the Vikings are embroiled in an arms race to sign a QB5.
But here’s the deal: This is not noteworthy. Before the coronavirus tomfoolery that sparked Browning as the last man standing, the Vikings already employed an extra quarterback that will not make the team. Hell, head coach Mike Zimmer only carries over two quarterbacks to Sundays on the gameday roster.
The notion of signing a fifth quarterback in August is truly mundane. Whomever it is — Cookus, Erdmann, Rudock, or Elvis Presley — that man will likely be a short-lived story in Minneapolis. Think of him as a person that bridges the gap in a severely temporary capacity while Cousins and Mond get back to form or resolve the vaccination matters.
It is unknown how much more time in training camp that Cousins or Mond will miss. Signing one of the three aforementioned names merely brings a passer of the football onto the team for a few weeks maximum. If one has a vested desire in the college careers of Cookus, Erdmann, or Rudock — slide down to Eagan for a few days and check them out depending on the man that is welcomed to the team.
Otherwise, the quarterback battle to monitor is QB2. Cousins has a stranglehold on the starting gig for at least one more year. He’s contractually committed to the Vikings through the end of 2022, although creativity can wiggle him out of 2022 if Spielman wishes to go in a different direction next March. Cousins could be traded if the 2021 campaign goes pear-shaped for him or the team. Too, Cousins could be extended next spring if 2021 is fruitful. That would nudge the Vikings out from underneath Cousins’ oft-mentioned $45 million cap hit in 2022.
Between Mond and Browning, the QB2 duel is undetermined. Browning was pretty damn good on Saturday night, filling in as the sole proprietor at quarterback. Before that, Mond also performed well on Wednesday through Friday. He dimed some bombs that generated excitement for the future.
ESPN‘s Courtney Cronin even offered a hypothesis that Browning perhaps did enough to win the QB2 assignment.
Practice is over. Browning had a really darn good night. He cemented himself as the favorite for QB2 and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it stay that way. Mond had a long ways to go even before he tested positive for COVID.
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 1, 2021
Mond might have other plans upon return to camp. Preseason games are less than two weeks away, as well. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak recently mentioned that the QB2 job will be settled when the “bright lights” of preseason games shine. Stay tuned.
On the whole, however, whichever player is signed to toss the ball around at camp in Cousins’ and Mond’s absence is pretty trivial to long-term planning.