The Minnesota Vikings face a pivotal moment as Kirk Cousins’ contract is set to expire following a season-ending Achilles tear. Re-signing Cousins, despite being a less exciting option, could benefit the team by reducing his dead cap number and postponing the need for high draft picks on a quarterback. This move, contingent on Cousins maintaining his performance post-injury, positions the Vikings for a competitive run in the unpredictable NFC, especially if they leverage the upcoming talented defensive class. While established contenders like the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys exist, the emergence of the Detroit Lions adds new competition, making the path to an NFC crown challenging for the Vikings, who haven’t achieved this since 1977.
Alternatively, if the Vikings opt for a more extensive competitive rebuild, particularly in line with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s vision, addressing the backup quarterback position becomes crucial. The underwhelming performances of Nick Mullens, Joshua Dobbs, and Jaren Hall in Cousins’ absence underscore the need for improvement. Additionally, the team has a rare opportunity to secure a promising quarterback in the later rounds of the draft. Experts project South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler as a potential third-round pick, offering an intriguing talent with a high ceiling. With refinement in mechanics, adaptation to NFL speed, and development under Cousins, Rattler could potentially become an NFL starter or serve as a bridge quarterback guiding the Vikings into the future. Rattler’s journey to the NFL has been marked by challenges, including criticism for his demeanor in the Netflix show QB1. Despite being touted as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class, Rattler faced setbacks at Oklahoma before transferring to South Carolina, where he led the Gamecocks to an 8-5 record in 2022.
