The Minnesota Vikings were already dealing with a serious injury to Justin Jefferson. But just when things couldn't get worse for the Vikings, Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury of his own.
Cousins tore his Achilles in Minnesota's Week 8 win over the Green Bay Packers. The quarterback is expected to undergo an MRI to confirm, but the Vikings are preparing for Cousins to be out for the remainder of the season. His injury was non-contact and he had to be carted off the field.
In his place, Minnesota turned to fifth-round rookie Jarren Hall. He completed 3-of-4 passes for 23 yards in what was his impromptu NFL debut.
While Kirk Cousins suffered a devastating injury, the Vikings moved to 4-4 on the season. Minnesota can still pursue a playoff berth if they can find the right quarterback. They could just roll with Hall, but he doesn't have the experience to lead a team into the postseason.
No quarterback available in free agency will be able to match what Cousins brings to the field. But these three could at least help Minnesota stay competitive as they await to ponder their QB situation this offseason.
Carson Wentz
If any team in the NFL were to lose their starting quarterback, Carson Wentz's name would pop up. However, in the Vikings' case, adding Wentz might be the most logical decision.
Wentz has been out of the league since being released by the Washington Commanders after just one season with the team. After spending the first five seasons of his career with the Eagles, Wentz spent a year with the Indianapolis Colts before joining Washington. He has struggled to find his footing at either location.
Over his entire NFL career, Wentz has thrown for 22,129 yards, 151 touchdowns and 66 interceptions. He has added 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Wentz is a former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion.
Wentz never truly lived up to his former No. 2 pick hype. However, injuries have always held him back. Now an injury might give Wentz an opportunity. The Vikings would be taking a gamble on Wentz after the past few seasons of failure. But at this stage of the game, Minnesota has to bank on his upside and hope Wentz can at least stabilize the QB position through the end of the year.
Matt Ryan
The Indianapolis Colts' Matt Ryan experiment did not go as planned. After a brief tenure, Ryan has been out of the league and seemingly retired, taking on NFL media gigs. However, the Vikings could offer Ryan the perfect opportunity to get back into the NFL.
Ryan's time in Indy ended after 12 games, a 4-7-1 record, 3,057 yards and a 14/13 TD/INT ratio. However, before joining the Colts, Ryan was one of the most revered quarterbacks in the NFL.
Over his 14 years with the Atlana Falcons, Ryan threw for 59,735 yards, 381 touchdowns and 183 interceptions. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro, a Rookie of the Year and an MVP. During his time in Atlanta, Ryan went 124-109-1 as a starter.
It's fair to wonder if Ryan would be an effective starter at age 38; especially being away from an NFL franchise for as long as he has. But with Kirk Cousins officially out for the season, the Vikings have to be willing to make chances. Maybe Indianapolis was just the wrong fit for Ryan and he would return to at least a glimmer of his former self in Minnesota.
Colt McCoy
With Kyler Murray still rehabbing his ACL injury, it appeared as if Colt McCoy would start the season as the Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback. However, the Cardinals decided to release McCoy and trade for Josh Dobbs to take on the role instead. Now, McCoy is still available and looking for an opportunity to make his return to the NFL.
McCoy spent two years playing for Arizona, where he appeared in 12 games – starting six. He went 3-3 as a starter, throwing for 1,520 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
However, the Cardinals were just the latest destination on McCoy's long and winding NFL career. He has been in the league since 2010, appearing in 56 games. McCoy has gone 11-25 in games he has started. The quarterback has thrown for 7,975 yards, 34 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.
McCoy's stats are pedestrian on the surface and part of the reason he has been out of the league this season. However, he was able to start in a pinch when Kyler Murray suffered his ACL tear. With the Vikings now in desperate need of a starting quarterback, perhaps they value McCoy's veteran leadership.
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