The Minnesota Vikings won their Week 8 battle against the Green Bay Packers, but they may have lost their season in the process. Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered an Achilles injury during the game, sidelining him for the season and leaving Minnesota without a true answer under center. At 4-4, the Vikings have a decent shot at a postseason birth, and with the trade deadline on Tuesday, you can expect Minnesota to try and shore up the game’s most important position with one of these five veterans.
Now, before we begin, it’s important to note that none of these players are as good as Kirk Cousins. While he might get some flak, the fact of the matter is that Cousins is an above-average starting quarterback, and guys like him don’t grow on trees. No matter what, the Vikings will be downgrading at the position, but these five options are clearly better than Jaren Hall and could guide Minnesota to the postseason.
The 5 Best Options to Replace Kirk Cousins, Ranked
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Tannehill missed Week 8 with an ankle injury, but reports across the league imply that this is not a serious ailment. The veteran quarterback should be back before long, but he probably won’t have his starting job. Rookie Will Levis set the world on fire in his NFL debut, completing 19 of his 29 passes for 238 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. Levis might be the better quarterback at this point in their respective careers, and the Titans need to see what they have in the youngster. This makes Tannehill expendable, and while he isn’t as good as Kirk Cousins, he’s still a solid starter who is more than capable of keeping this team afloat.
Jacoby Brissett
Jacoby Brissett has spent the 2023 season backing up Sam Howell, but we know that he can be a perfectly serviceable starter in small doses. The former third-round pick played well for the Browns last year and was actually better than Deshaun Watson. The Washington Commanders signed Brissett as an insurance policy in case Howell wasn’t ready to start, but with Howell playing well, Washington should be willing to part with the journeyman passer for the right price. If Jacoby Brissett can play like he did in 2022, then he should be able to adequately replace Kirk Cousins and guide the Vikings to a Wild Card birth.
JACOBY BRISSETT FINDS AMARI COOPER FOR THE BROWNS TOUCHDOWN!! pic.twitter.com/8pzz6ldbYp
— Brian (@byysports) October 9, 2022
Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton might just be the least exciting quarterback in football, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play. The longtime Cincinnati Bengals quarterback isn’t going to win any games on his own, but he’s not going to singlehandedly lose you a matchup either. Last we saw Dalton, he started 14 games for a mediocre New Orleans Saints team and actually put up comparable numbers to current starter Derek Carr. While he lacks any type of upside, he’s more than capable of connecting with Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson (when he finally returns to the field).
Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz is basically the anti-Dalton in terms of a potential Kirk Cousins replacement. While Dalton offers a high floor and a low ceiling, Carson Wentz is a complete roller coaster that can look like a top-10 quarterback or a guy who shouldn’t even be in the league on a drive-by-drive basis. The biggest appeal to Wentz is that, unlike everyone else on this list, he is a free agent. If the Vikings want him, all they have to do is come to terms on a contract.
Mac Jones
After a promising rookie season, New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones has looked like one of the worst starters in the league over the past two seasons. While a quarterback is largely responsible for their own production, there is no denying that New England’s supporting cast has not done him any favors. The Patriots might have the worst receiving corps in the league, and the offensive line is a hot mess. Perhaps NFL-caliber receivers will help Jones recapture his old form as Kirk Cousins’ replacement. It’s clear that Jones is not the answer in New England, and the 2-6 Patriots should be willing to trade him for the right price.
Main Photo: Benny Sieu – USA Today Sports
