Vikings ‘Dark Horse’ Candidate to Acquire $180 Million Star QB

The Minnesota Vikings never seem to have it easy when it comes to the quarterback position — even when they get good seasons from their starters, which they often have in recent years.

Sam Darnold represents the current conundrum, as he has been awesome in 2024 but is going to command a huge salary next year because of that. Minnesota has another option in rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who has missed all of this season with an injury. However, he will bring several questions regarding his readiness to start and how good he actually can be.

All of the Vikings’ success this year — 13-2 with a chance to win out and capture the NFC North Division crown along with the No. 1 seed/bye week in the playoffs — complicate the situation further.

Minnesota had similarly difficult calls to make with former starter Kirk Cousins, a three-time Pro Bowler while with the franchise (four-time Pro Bowler overall) who led the team to the playoffs on two occasions over his six years with the organization. Cousins got himself a couple of big one-year paydays from Minnesota before bolting for the Atlanta Falcons and a $180 million contract this offseason.

While that move worked out grandly for the Vikings, the opposite is true for Cousins. He started the campaign well, though a poor five-game stretch led Atlanta to bench him ahead of last week’s game for rookie Michael Penix Jr. — effectively ending Cousin’s tenure with the Falcons less than one year after it began.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Atlanta will attempt to trade, or will cut, Cousins before he’s due a $10 million roster bonus on March 17.  And somewhat ironically, the Vikings could bring Cousins back to Minnesota for one year in 2025 as a short-term solution to their looming quarterback conundrum.

Vikings May Be Able to Land Kirk Cousins for Minimum Salary Next Season

Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports last week floated a handful of teams that make sense as trade partners for Cousins ahead of mid-March. Then she mentioned two dark horse candidates, naming the Vikings among that duo.

“Interpersonal dynamics in Minnesota may complicate a reunion so soon after head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah moved on from Cousins,” Epstein wrote. “But the league is not missing the irony of the potential football fit a reunion would bring, as Darnold will likely command more than the Vikings want to pay, and injured rookie J.J. McCarthy’s rehabilitation timeline will leave uncertainty.”

The problem with a trade is that Minnesota would likely have to take on more money than the team prefers — even if the Falcons agree to pay a big chunk of Cousins’ future guaranteed salary, which would be a likely concession on Atlanta’s side of the equation. But, if the Vikings wait until the Falcons are forced to cut Cousins, Minnesota could sign the QB for as little as the league minimum.

Kirk Cousins Would Likely Have Path to Start for Vikings in 2025

The latter path is the more lucrative and more likely for the Vikings, and they would have among the best chances to land Cousins due to his previous experience with O’Connell and the stars on the offensive roster like wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Cousins, who will play next year at 37 years old, will likely want a shot to start for a team that can compete in 2025. If Darnold returns, Cousins won’t be back in Minneapolis and the point is moot.

However, if Darnold is playing elsewhere, Cousins would have a legitimate chance to at least begin the year ahead of McCarthy on the depth chart — particularly if the Vikings make a deep playoff run and desire someone more accomplished and experienced — both in the NFL and in their specific offense — to roll out under center.