NFL Rumors: 3 most realistic options for Vikings to finally solve QB crisis
By Mark Powell
The Minnesota Vikings acquired Josh Dobbs at the trade deadline with the expectation he'd be the emergency quarterback option after Kirk Cousins injury. Then, rookie Jaren Hall out of BYU went down with a concussion in the first quarter of their Week 9 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Vikings, who miraculously still sit at 4-4 on the season, did not fair well with Dobbs at quarterback early. The new Minnesota quarterback performed about as well as one could expect with very little grasp of the offense. He did arrive just a few days ago, of course. Considering the circumstances, his outing was admirable.
After watching this type of shoddy quarterback play, Vikings fans want a permanent solution, especially heading into an offseason in which Kirk Cousins is a free agent.
Vikings should re-sign Kirk Cousins if they don't have a QB plan
Kirk Cousins is aging out of his prime, which frankly wasn't quite good enough to lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl anyway. However, he's also not bad enough to receive the amount of flack he does from a surprisingly high number of football fans.
Many fanbases would be lucky to have Cousins as their quarterback, and in a light market at the position, we're about to see how much rival executives value the 35-year-old. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network hinted that the Vikes may be interested in a reunion this offseason, especially if Cousins price tag comes down thanks to a season-ending injury.
"Cousins' surgery was conducted by Vikings doctor Chris Coetzee, who specializes in foot and ankle surgery, giving Minnesota more medical info than other teams. That should give the Vikings confidence to do a deal if that's the desired outcome, and it could also make it easier for a deal to get done around the time of free agency -- when they have exclusive negotiating rights," Rapoport wrote. "At the very least, a return to Minnesota should be considered a viable solution."
A return to Minnesota feels like a long shot, as Vikings fans are tired of failing to win on the big stage. But it cannot be ruled out, especially if the team cannot identify a replacement on the roster by the end of this season.