4 Paths the Vikings Can Take at QB in 2024
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings have a number of big decisions to make during the 2024 offseason.
One such decision revolves around their quarterback position, which will impact the team in 2024 and the future more broadly. As the offseason gets started in Minnesota, here is a look at 4 paths the Vikings can take at QB.
1. Draft a QB to Start Immediately
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated during the end-of-season press conference on Wednesday that this is a “big offseason” for the Vikings. Minnesota could make no bigger decision this offseason than to draft a QB in the first round, let Kirk Cousins go, and immediately throw said rookie into the starting lineup. This would immediately move us into the next era of Vikings football
There are plenty of starting options in this spring’s draft, especially near the top. In order to pull off a selection of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, Minnesota likely needs to trade a good chunk of draft capital to move up the board.
2. Re-Sign Cousins to a Long-Term Deal
It would certainly be a risky proposition, but the Vikings theoretically could decide that they want Cousins as their quarterback for the next three to four years. Before his Achilles injury, Cousins was playing some of the best football of his career even without Justin Jefferson in the lineup.
There is also the possibility that Minnesota simply isn’t wowed by any of the draft prospects at the position this spring to the point where they can warrant trading away a ton of capital to select a top prospect. There is a huge chance that Cousins is not the same player he was prior to injury, though, especially as he enters his late 30s.
3. Push the Long-Term Decision to 2025
This option would not be enjoyed by many Vikings fans, but Minnesota could still opt to push their long-term choice to 2025. This route would entail signing Cousins to another short-term deal while also not drafting his successor.
It seems like a very unlikely option, especially given Adofo-Mensah’s words, but it is still a possibility and is essentially what Minnesota did in 2023.
4. Re-Sign Cousins and Draft a QB
Personally, this would be my preferred route for the Vikings to take this offseason. Minnesota could re-sign Cousins for 2024 while also drafting their “QB of the future” in the first round. Cousins gets to lead the charge when it comes to remaining competitive while the rookie QB works toward the other half of the GM’s philosophy: the rebuild.
This option also allows whichever QB prospect that the Vikings ultimately draft to sit behind Cousins for a year and learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense without a ton of pressure being thrown on his shoulders immediately.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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