Minnesota Vikings: Way-too-early 53-man roster projection
By Adam Carlson
Quarterbacks (2)
- Kirk Cousins
- Kellen Mond
When talking about the iron men of the NFL, somehow the discussion doesn’t usually involve Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. The signal-caller for the purple and gold hasn’t missed a single game due to injury since becoming a full-time starter for Washington in 2015.
Statistically, Cousins has been a monster for the Vikings since arriving in 2018. In 47 games played with Minnesota, he has racked up 12,266 yards and 91 touchdowns through the air while completing 69 percent of his passes. He will be the team’s starter come Week 1.
The question of who Cousins’ backup would be for the 2021 season had to be addressed. Sean Mannion proved he was not capable of stepping in and winning a game when he failed to throw his first NFL touchdown in Week 17 against the Bears in 2019. The Vikings kept him around anyway for 2020 for some unknown reason, but it was time to move on.
Minnesota used a third-round draft pick on Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the 2021 NFL Draft. He should be able to beat out Nate Stanley and Jake Browning to handle backup duties. Unless the team signs a veteran backup, Mond should be the second QB on the Vikings roster.