Prior to their trade deadline reunion, the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins discussed extending his stay in the Twin Cities beyond 2026, per ESPN's Ian Rapoport. Cousins appeared open to that arrangement, with Minnesota taking on his $10 million roster bonus for next season. That can be absorbed into a new contract down the road.
Cousins put together a killer first half of the season in Las Vegas. His (second) Vikings tenure is off to a heckuva a start, too. The Vikings have cycled through different quarterbacks in each of the past three seasons. While saving money at QB has allowed Minnesota to spend on their all-world defense, there comes a time where stability under center is more beneficial. That does not necessarily mean Cousins is the only QB option for Minnesota next season. Let's venture down a few different pathways.
5. Drew Lock/Jacoby Brissett/Gardner Minshew II
There are several journeymen and career backup types slated for free agency next summer. You can throw out names like Marcus Mariota, Anthony Richardson Sr. or Tua Tagovailoa, but these three names stand out as semi-interesting options: Seattle's Drew Lock, Baltimore's Jacoby Brissett and Arizona's Gardner Minshew II.
Of course, there's a difference between "starting in a pinch" and "starting full time." The Vikings should express interest in all these guys as backup QBs, but if Lock or Brissett or Minshew end up pegged as Week 1 starter, something has gone terribly wrong.
Lock is probably the most compelling of the bunch, with a 71.1 percent completion rate and five touchdowns (and zero INTs) in three appearances this season. Brissett and Minshew are a bit more established but also much older in Brissett's case. All of these guys can keep a team afloat if Minnesota's No. 1 defense holds, but it's hard to imagine them playing in a Super Bowl.
4. Geno Smith (plus rookie QB)
The J.J. McCarthy experiment flamed out, but the strategy was sound. You want talented rookies to sit behind a capable veteran for a season, if possible. The 2027 NFL Draft is well-stocked at the QB position, which means names like Trinidad Chambliss and LaNorris Sellers could be available to Minnesota toward the end of the first round.
As far as veteran stopgaps are concerned, the Vikings could do a lot worse than Geno Smith. The New York Jets are a dumpster fire, as always, but Smith has enjoyed a productive individual campaign, rebounding from his brief and turnover-laden stint with the Raiders. Smith has a big arm and a lot of guts. He pushes the football into tight windows and creates splash plays. His aggression is a double-edged sword, as it can lead to turnovers, but Smith flanked by Minnesota's weaponry — with Kevin O'Connell calling plays — is a compelling thought.
He's 36 years old, so there are longevity concerns, but if the Vikings go the placeholder route again, Smith is worth consideration.
3. Mac Jones
Mac Jones has earned a chance to start again, but it won't come with the San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings actually called about Jones at the deadline, but the Niners' high asking price — a second-round pick and more — turned them off.
My worry with Jones is that he's 28 years old and he could command a substantial multi-year contract. He's not going to break the bank necessarily, but if he's on the books for two or three years and it goes south, that leaves Minnesota with its hands tied. Jones is still largely unproven; he hasn't made the Pro Bowl since his rookie season. Before last year's breakout success in place of an injured Brock Purdy, he was trending toward journeyman backup status.
Jones is a strong stylistic fit for Minnesota and the Vikings are well-equipped to help Jones succeed, but there's not enough meat on the bones to commit to him as a long-term answer. If he's available on a one-year, prove-it type deal — like Daniel Jones the summer before last — he'd arguably be No. 1 on this list, but Jones clearly has a lot of fans around the league. The juice might not be worth the squeeze, especially if it prevents Minnesota from building in a contingency plan through the draft.
2. Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert would qualify as a worthy home run swing, but it's hard to avoid blame when your team is winless this late into the season. Whatever your impression of Herbert's career arc may be, he currently leads the NFL in interceptions (11) and total turnovers (18). He's completely lost right now. That's not to say he can't find his way back at 28 years old, but such pronounced struggles are rare. Can we really chalk this up as a blip on the radar?
Minnesota has the infrastructure to support Herbert far better than the LA Chargers ever did. That much is undeniable. Just last season, Herbert made his second straight Pro Bowl appearance with 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. He has the size, the mobility, the arm talent — on paper, Herbert checks all the boxes of a franchise QB. It's why the Chargers paid him $262.5 million over five years, with $218.7 million guaranteed.
That's the problem. Herbert's contract lines up with the best quarterbacks in the NFL. It's worth it for the true superstars, but such spending can quickly become prohibitive to team success when a quarterback falters. Herbert is still locked up through 2028. If Herbert doesn't course correct, trading for him could set the Vikings back for two years minimum.
Factor in the Chargers' assuredly high asking price — potentially multiple first-round picks — and the Vikings would be practically jumping on a live grenade. Herbert has the pedigree to make this an admirable risk on paper, but Minnesota's defense is fearsome enough to win without a superstar quarterback. Herbert's postseason track record is cause for concern, too.
1. Kirk Cousins (plus rookie QB)
Not much was flashy about Kirk Cousins' triumphant return to Minnesota on Sunday. He completed 21-of-31 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Still, the Vikings scored 30 points for the first time since Week 1 in a commanding victory over the red-hot Packers. Defense is still the Vikings' calling card, but Cousins has already found a higher gear than Kyler Murray did in the nine weeks beforehand.
Cousins is 38 years old. If the Vikings keep him next season, he will turn 39. It's hard to know exactly what to expect from quarterbacks at this stage in their career. Cousins is still a brilliant processor, with the touch and accuracy to spray passes all over the field. He's also more limited athletically, which can cause problems when Cousins is faced with pressure. Mobility was never the four-time Pro Bowler's best trait, but he plays more stiff and upright than ever.
All this said, Cousins would probably re-sign on a very friendly contract as a potential two-year bridge to Minnesota's next quarterback. If the Vikings can follow in Vegas' footsteps and put a talented rookie under Cousins' wing for a year, like the Falcons before them, it should bode well for the present and the future. Cousins knows the Vikings' offense better than anybody and Minnesota has the infrastructure in place to protect him. Bringing in a talented first-year quarterback also gives the Vikings an escape hatch, should Cousins hit a wall.
In terms of affordability and familiarity, it's hard to argue against the idea of another year or two for Cousins. He feels like the safest option.
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