2 trades the Vikings should make to replace Kirk Cousins, 1 to avoid at all costs

The Minnesota Vikings were having a great Week 8 until they weren't. In a rivalry matchup against the Packers, the Vikings took over the game and stormed to a 24-3 lead in the third quarter.

Minnesota went on to win the game 24-10, but the mood was down in the Vikings locker room because quarterback Kirk Cousins went down with a non-contact injury. Head coach Kevin O'Connell revealed after the game that the team fears Cousins suffered an Achilles injury. Once an MRI confirms, the injury is expected to be season-ending.

What can the Vikings do to replace Cousins?

2. Trey Lance or Cooper Rush

The Vikings missed what would have been the perfect move earlier this year when they didn't spend the fourth-rounder the Cowboys used to get Trey Lance. But sitting in regret isn't useful. Making the move now will cost slightly more, but could matter more as well.

Lance is an enigma multiple NFL teams have tried to figure out. The 49ers drafted him No. 3 overall because they saw his talent, but it never materialized into success in San Francisco and after an injury he was beaten out by Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold on the depth chart. The Cowboys took the chance on him because of his potential, but he's served only as the team's emergency quarterback, not yet elevating into a backup role behind Dak Prescott.

So a call to Dallas is at least warranted to find out if they'd be willing to get an improved return on what they spent to get a quarterback they're not even using. The Vikings have a fourth-rounder from Detroit to use as well as their own.

And if they aren't willing to budge on the former 49er, that call could just as easily shift towards Cooper Rush, the backup who seems destined to lose his job to Lance. Rush, who is 5-1 as a starter, should come cheaper than Lance but could keep the ship steady in Minnesota.