The Minnesota Vikings have a bit of a situation at the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins' Achilles injury and his contract situation gives Minnesota a conundrum. Do they re-sign Cousins for the next season, or do they move on from the star QB and reload in the draft? All signs point to Minnesota still looking to retain Cousins. However… it seems like they are trying to toe a line that few NFL teams have succeeded in doing.

The Vikings are still considering taking a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft even if they end up signing Kirk Cousins, per Ian Rapoport. Essentially, Minnesota is looking to draft their future QB and making him sit behind Cousins as they maximize their championship window.

“The Vikings, who will start rookie Jaren Hall today against the Falcons, could still select a quarterback in the 2024 draft. But that move could be coupled with a Cousins return, sources say.”

Article Continues Below
More Minnesota Vikings News
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Matthew Judon (15) rushes the passer against the New York Giants in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Vikings rumors: ESPN proposes signing 4-time Pro Bowler to boost pash rushBen Strauss ·
vikings, vikings trade, minnesota vikings, Brian Asamoah
1 obvious Minnesota Vikings trade candidate entering 2025 training campGarrett Kerman ·
Featured image JJ McCarthy
Vikings’ JJ McCarthy gets encouraging update from ESPN’s Dan GrazianoDylan Fine ·
vikings, minnesota vikings, asante samuel jr.
1 perfect Minnesota Vikings move to fill out roster before 2025 training campGarrett Kerman ·
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sam Darnold reflects on Vikings’ brutal playoff loss vs RamsGuillermo Guajardo ·
vikings, minnesota vikings minicamp
3 hottest Minnesota Vikings takes coming out of 2025 minicampGarrett Kerman ·

With Cousins out for the season, it's reasonable to expect the Vikings to be picked inside the top 10 of the 2024 NFL draft. With this year's QB class being top-heavy, there's more incentive for them to take someone like Bo Nix, J.J McCarthy, or even Michael Penix Jr. If they get a high enough selection, they're likely doing that. They could even go a little crazy and maybe trade up for the big prize in Caleb Williams!

However, the Vikings are attempting to continue being competitive even after spending a first-round pick on a QB. The idea is to sit the young quarterback while Cousins returns for the 2024 season, at the very least. This approach has had mixed results. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen both sat for their rookie years, and they are now wildly successful. However, the Packers drafted Jordan Love in 2020 while still having Aaron Rodgers… and that experiment is not going well so far.

The Vikings have plenty of time to figure out their strategy for the 2024 NFL draft and that season. For now, though, their objective seems to still be compete for a playoff spot. Rookie Jaren Hall is starting today, but the team traded for veteran backup Josh Dobbs as an insurance policy. We'll see how this season pans out for Minnesota, especially considering the form they've had recently.