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The Minnesota Vikings appear ready to bring in a quarterback who can at least put some pressure on J.J. McCarthy to elevate his game this offseason, as the team wants to ensure they don’t miss the playoffs next season.
With the offseason rumor mill ongoing, several names will be floated as ideas or reported as potential targets for Minnesota. Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared five names the Vikings could be looking at to bring one in and compete with McCarthy.
“Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, Geno Smith, Jimmy Garoppolo, bringing back Kirk Cousins,” Lewis told KARE 11 News about the names that could be the QB targets for the Vikings. “I mean, it is hard to find one of those guys that makes people very optimistic.”
The Cousins file appears to have the most legs right now. On Feb. 7, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini got the entire rumor mill started with her reporting on the matter.
“I’m watching to see if the Falcons find any parties interested in [Cousins],” Russini wrote in her article. “Speaking of those Vikings, one league source speculated that Cousins could be an option there, given his history with Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s desire to bring in competition for young J.J. McCarthy.”
Kirk Cousins Open to Returning to Minnesota
Following that report from Russini, more information emerged about the current Atlanta Falcons QB potentially returning to Minnesota for a second stint. Lewis shared an update on Feb. 7 from the Cousins side about whether both parties would be willing to reunite.
“It’s my understanding that Kirk Cousins will be open to returning to the Vikings, if genuine interest is there, and if the situation feels right (opportunity wise, more than anything),“ Lewis wrote on Feb. 7 on X. “Also wouldn’t be surprised to see him have other opportunities (teams & TV).”
Moreover, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter also reported, citing league sources, that the Atlanta Falcons are expected to release Cousins before the start of the new league year in March, allowing him to choose where or if he wants to play in 2026.
Does Kyler Murray Make Sense for the Vikings?
Murray’s name was recently floated as one the Vikings should keep on their radar, as his time with the Arizona Cardinals could be ending this offseason.
On Feb. 2, former NFL player Domonique Foxworth stated that if the Cardinals cut Murray, Minnesota should be a landing spot for the former No. 1 overall pick.
“I still think he’s incredibly talented,“ Foxworth said during an appearance on “Get Up.“ “Of course, he’s uniquely built to play quarterback, which isn’t always good, but I think he’s a guy that, in the right situation, could help out a lot.
“I really like the Vikings as a spot where they could get someone like Kyler Murray to take some of the pressure off of him. I don’t think that the Cardinals have been a particularly well-run organization. And that’s not to take responsibility away from Kyler.”
Murray has spent seven seasons with the Cardinals, piling up 20,460 passing yards and 121 touchdowns along the way, per StatMuse. Additionally, Murray has earned two Pro Bowl selections and captured the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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