Vikings “Bridge QB” Theory Even Linked to This Guy
The Minnesota Vikings have an impending choice on quarterback Kirk Cousins’ free agency, retaining the passer for a seventh season or letting him walk to free agency for the first time since 2018.
Vikings “Bridge QB” Theory Even Linked to This Guy
A verdict should be made public in the next three weeks. And if Minnesota says sayonara to the 35-year-old, some Vikings fans ardently believe the club will need a “bridge quarterback.” That is: a veteran passer to hold down the fort with a rookie from the 2024 NFL Draft waiting to take over.
If the Vikings adopt that plan, well, The Draft Network has a high-profile solution — Joe Flacco.
Flacco quarterbacked the Cleveland Browns down the stretch of 2023, helping guide Kevin Stefanski’s team to the postseason, along with a rip-roaringly good defense. Many turnovers were attributable to Flacco’s name, but folks simply didn’t care because Cleveland was winning, and the defense was humming.
Now, Flacco is an honest-to-goodness free agent, and TDN thinks the Vikings are a wise landing spot. Justin Melo explained, “What the Vikings will do at quarterback this offseason remains a mystery. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could re-sign Kirk Cousins and keep his core together. Or he could draft a quarterback like McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr., although landing the former may require a trade-up from No. 11 overall.”
Flacco quarterbacked the Browns’ final five games, delivering 13 passing touchdowns and a total of 12 interceptions and fumbles.
“If the Vikings want to pair a second-or-third-round quarterback (like Bo Nix or Spencer Rattler) with a veteran, there are far worse choices than Flacco. In Minnesota, Flacco would be inheriting an exciting supporting cast that features Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Flacco would keep the Vikings competitive in 2024,” Melo added about the possibility of Flacco to Minnesota.
Minnesota employs Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall at quarterback as of February 19th, and truth be told, Mullens could serve as the bridge quarterback if need be.
Meanwhile, Melo’s mention of Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler as possible quarterback solutions seems a bit strange. If the Vikings don’t re-sign Cousins and hence need a QB1 solution from the NFL Draft, selecting Nix or Rattler for that plan feels like a last resort. The franchise is more likely to trade up for a blue-chip prospect or choose someone like Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
Melo also named a couple of other free-agent fits for Flacco: the New England Patriots and New York Jets.
Flacco turned 39 last month.
A Look at the Vikings’ 26 Free Agents
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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