3 offseason moves the Minnesota Vikings have to make to take the next step

1. Make a decision on quarterback Kirk Cousins sooner rather than later

Kevin O’Connell’s club got off to a 0-3 start and dropped four of their first five games. That meant that after five weeks of action, the defending NFC North champions had already lost as many games as they did in 2022 when they topped their division with a 13-4 record.

The team was in the midst of turning things around when 12-year signal-caller Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles injury. In eight games, he had hit on 69.5 percent of his throws for 2,331 yards and more than three times as many TD passes (18) as interceptions (5). However, Cousins also fumbled seven times and lost the ball on four occasions, giving him nine turnovers in eight outings.

O’Connell wound wind up using three more starting quarterbacks (rookie Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens). All told, the Vikings dropped six of their final nine outings with those three men behind center. The club’s quartet of signal-callers combined for 30 touchdown passes and 28 of Minnesota’s 34 turnovers.

Like the aforementioned Danielle Hunter, Cousins can become a free agent in March. How soon he will be healthy is certainly a factor when it comes to his future with the team. Can they afford to part ways with a player who has enjoyed six productive seasons with the franchise?