With starting quarterback Kirk Cousins done for the year, the Vikings considered plenty of options, short-term and long-term. They opted for a player who is under contract through the end of the current season.
The trade for Josh Dobbs, who has started eight games this season for the Cardinals, keeps the door wide open for a return by Cousins in 2024.
Suddenly, Cousins coming back makes a ton of sense. He was playing the best football of his career. There won’t be a land rush for his services in the offseason, since he’s recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. He, and the team, might feel bound together by a sense of unfinished business and unfulfilled potential.
Also, Dobbs and Cousins have the same agent — Mike McCartney.
Regardless of what happens next year, Cousins remains a viable option. And the Vikings, with Dobbs, could be a viable team down the stretch — if coach Kevin O’Connell can get him up to speed quickly in the Minnesota offense.