You can forget about any conversation regarding Kirk Cousins ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. Cousins exited the Vikings’ victory over the Packers today with an ankle injury and is believed to have suffered an Achilles injury.
Cousins will have an MRI on Monday to confirm, but generally with Achilles injuries, that’s a formality. That would mean that Cousins’ season is over, and possibly his tenure with the Vikings too.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this afternoon that Cousins indeed tore his Achilles. Tomorrow’s MRI will confirm the injury, but at this point, it appears that the Vikings will have to begin to prepare for life after Cousins this season and potentially beyond.
Kirk Cousins may have played his last game in a Vikings uniform
Cousins is in his age-35 season and the Vikings spent the entire offseason saying goodbye to pricey veterans on their rosters. Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, and Za’Darius Smith have all departed Minnesota via free agency or trades this offseason. The Vikings have also taken calls on pass rusher Danielle Hunter.
In June, Minnesota GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said of the decision to table extension discussions with Cousins at the NFL Draft in April: “Sometimes you come to a place where you decide, ‘Hey, let’s talk later. This is a solution for now.’ That’s all that’s happened.”
Jaren Hall replaced Cousins today. Hall is a sixth-round rookie out of BYU. Minnesota now becomes potential buyers at the trade deadline at the QB position after moving to 4-4 today with a win over Green Bay.
New Orleans’ Jameis Winston could be an option. Washington’s Jacoby Brissett could also be available. Either way, this will be a situation to monitor this week.