6 emergency options at QB if Vikings lose Kirk Cousins to injury in 2021

Bring back Sean Mannion

This definitely shouldn’t be one of the top things on Minnesota’s list of options if Kirk Cousins goes down.

Sean Mannion spent the last two seasons as the Vikings No. 2 quarterback behind Cousins, but he only appeared in a total of three games. He got the opportunity to start for Minnesota in 2019 during the team’s season finale, but he didn’t even throw for 130 yards, and he finished with a 35.1 quarterback rating.

Mannion knowing how the Vikings want to run their offense might give him the advantage over some of the other quarterbacks left in free agency. But his lack of talent is also something that could prevent Minnesota from wanting to bring him back as their emergency signal-caller.

Trade for Gardner Minshew

Before the Vikings drafted Kellen Mond earlier this year, trading for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew was something that multiple members of Minnesota’s fan base wanted the team to do.

With the Jaguars using their top 2021 draft pick on Trevor Lawrence, Minshew is no longer a starter for his current team. He would likely jump at the opportunity to start elsewhere, and if the Vikings acquired him to replace Cousins, at least the team’s games would probably be entertaining each week, no matter if they ended in a win or a loss.