3 Kirk Cousins replacements Vikings need to start thinking about right now

2. Deshaun Watson

Depending on what happens with the accusations against Deshaun Watson, just about any and every NFL team that needs a quarterback should be intrigued by the possibility of getting him to join their franchise.

He’s by far one of the most talented athletes in the NFL, but the issues surrounding the accusations more than 20 women have made against him in lawsuits have made his football future a little cloudy.

But Watson, speaking solely in terms of what happens on the field, is an outstanding talent who could play anywhere. Watson isn’t playing this season as he and the Houston Texans butt heads, but since he joined the league in 2017, he’s had no issue racking up yards and scoring touchdowns for them. In his career, Watson has thrown for 14,539 yards and 104 touchdowns while completing 67.8 percent of his passes.

1.  Kenny Pickett

The Pittsburgh Panthers have thrived because of quarterback Kenny Pickett’s excellence on the field. If they’re considering starting over at quarterback with the draft, Pickett is certainly someone the Vikings should consider. In nine games, Pickett has thrown for 3,171 yards and 29 touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions.

He’s almost certainly going to get some level of Heisman buzz for the way he’s elevated his team this season. Plus, as it stands right now, Pickett doesn’t have any weird legal situations looming over his head right now. That’s always worth considering.