The Vikings Stomping Grounds Are Suddenly QB-Lite
Not long ago, the NFC showcased quarterbacks like Drew Brees, the good version of Jared Goff, the MVP-level Cam Newton, the MVP-level Matt Ryan, steady Matthew Stafford, the good version of Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson, and even Tom Brady for two years.
Now, those men are either diminished, retired, or with different teams.
Incidentally on Tuesday, Russell Wilson left the conference, traveling to Denver by the way of trade and kicking off the second chapter of his sure-fire Hall of Fame career. The Broncos traded the farm to land Wilson, stabilizing the quarterback spot for the first time since 2015.
Suddenly, the NFC is quarterback-lite. Brees and Brady retired in successive years. And most of the other high-flyers (Wentz, Newton, Goff) encountered sharp declines for varying reasons.
This is the quarterback landscape of the NFC:
Ian Book, Vet, or Rookie (NO)
Kirk Cousins (MIN)
Sam Darnold, Other Vet, or Rookie (CAR)
Justin Fields (CHI)
Jared Goff (DET)
Taylor Heinicke, Other Vet, or Rookie (WAS)
Jalen Hurts (PHI)
Daniel Jones (NYG)
Trey Lance (SF)
Drew Lock, Other Vet, or Rookie (SEA)
Kyler Murray (ARI)
Dak Prescott (DAL)
Aaron Rodgers (GB)
Matt Ryan (ATL)
Matthew Stafford (LAR)
Kyle Trask, Vet, or Rookie (TB)
Does that scare you at all? It shouldn’t. All of the supreme talent at quarterback — at least per sheer volume — resides in the AFC. From Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, to [now] Russell Wilson, the AFC is gorged with quarterback talent.
Therefore, a power vacuum exists in the NFC — at a time when the Minnesota Vikings are rebranding with new leadership. The Vikings hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell to lead life-after-Zimmer, and thankfully, the NFC isn’t too loaded for now. All the quarterbacks became shells of themselves, retired, or were traded.
Of course, Rodgers, Murray, Stafford, and Prescott are formidable, but that lineup pales in comparison to the Hollywood Squares of the AFC.
In theory, Minnesota could rebuild — even though the ownership has denounced that strategy — and prepare for the next few years instead of attempting to conquer the weak state of the conference now. That might be a good idea.
Yet, if the Vikings want to formulate a successful offseason and take a stab at contention now, the quarterbacks in the way aren’t too collectively daunting.
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You, the reader, have no control over what the franchise does with Kirk Cousins in the next few weeks. But remember, the NFC is near an all-time low for quarterback stardom in the offseason of 2022.
It may affect the Vikings next steps.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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