Vikings: 3 Kirk Cousins replacements no one is talking about
Vikings fans are either just about or have been fed up with Kirk Cousins. If Minnesota wants to replace their QB, they don’t have to get Corral or Willis.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a majority of Minnesota Vikings fans who believe that Kirk Cousins is taking them anywhere they’d like to go, namely anywhere close to the Super Bowl. While he can put up nice stats and perform well, his propensity for shrinking in primetime or in big moments has grown increasingly frustrating.
That has led, once again, to calls for the quarterback to be replaced in Minnesota. Now, it should be noted that the Vikings have no chance of cutting Cousins in 2022. They would incur more than $40 million in dead cap while saving nothing, per Over the Cap. Finding a trade partner would be ideal as it would save the franchise $35 million.
But regardless of if they part with Kirk Cousins next offseason or not, Minnesota needs to think about the future of the position. And while the guys like Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett and a litany of others have been mentioned as options, there are others who are a bit more under the radar that could suffice.
Kirk Cousins replacements for Vikings that are slipping under the radar
QB. On Roster. 60. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Kellen Mond. 3. player
Kellen Mond is already on the Vikings roster and could be an option to take over for Kirk Cousins
Most everyone is looking to the draft or even the free agency and trade markets to try and find an option to replace Cousins in the Twin Cities. However, the answer could potentially be on the roster in the form of Kellen Mond.
A third-round pick by Minnesota in the 2021 draft out of Texas A&M, Mond hasn’t seen the field for the club since the preseason, which was also cut a bit short due to a positive COVID-19 test in late July.
With that said, Mond has always been a highly intriguing NFL prospect at quarterback. The former Aggies standout never seemed to live up to his potential in College Station, but he has undeniable talent with plus athleticism as a runner and play-creator with his legs in addition to possessing a cannon for an arm.
If the Vikings are able to mold and develop a player who, despite his long college career, is still very much a ball of clay that has not been fully formed, the raw materials are obvious with Mond and he could be an option for the franchise to turn to if they want to move from Cousins to someone already on the roster.