Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks

Unless there’s a late signing, a good thing that can be said about the 2021 Minnesota Vikings quarterback group is that a token veteran backup isn’t part of it. I heard it said many times that Sean Mannion was excellent as a player-coach and confidant for Kirk Cousins. That’s great. I’m glad that Cousins has been remarkably durable throughout his career. Trevor Siemian and Mannion have been the veteran backup quarterbacks during Cousins’ three years in Minnesota. I’m glad that he hasn’t missed a start. It looks like an unproven youngster will be the backup during Cousins’ fourth year in Minnesota. With four quarterbacks on the roster there isn’t room for a veteran backup. Recent years, I might’ve considered that a gamble. This year, I consider it progress. It’s time to get a young quarterback ready for life after Cousins. For about 30 years the Vikings have relied on a revolving door of veteran quarterbacks. During the Dennis Green years it felt like a preference until he landed Daunte Culpepper in the 1999 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, injuries robbed the Vikings of their most promising young quarterbacks this century (Culpepper and Teddy Bridgewater). Since Fran Tarkenton, the Vikings haven’t had much luck with quarterbacks. He retired after the 1978 season. This isn’t intended to be a rehash of Minnesota’s frustrating quarterback past. It’s intended to be a brief look at the quarterback present. Of the four quarterbacks currently on the roster, only Cousins has taken a regular season snap. If a quarterback other than Cousins takes a regular season snap this year, hopefully it’s snaps taken to close out wins. Next year, or the year after, will be a whole other story. 

Vikings Quarterbacks:

Kirk Cousins

Kellon Mond

Jake Browning

Nate Stanley

Kirk Cousins is the Minnesota Vikings starting quarterback this season and probably next season. It’s as simple as that. His play warrants it. His contract demands it. Cousins is a frequent target of criticism. There’s a puzzle to that. Any other quarterback with his production would be praised. Personally, I think that his legion of critics simply don’t know what to make of him. He isn’t the cool NFL quarterback. He’s more like the goofy dad down the street. Whatever. I’m tired of the criticism that feels more like personal bashing. When Cousins is “on” there are few quarterbacks better. He goes on annual runs of outstanding games. The problem has been the bad games. His bad games can be really bad. He peppers each season with a couple of them. Fortunately, there are only a couple of them. Unfortunately, he has them. Until he leads the Vikings on an extended playoff run his critics will be loud. He probably has two seasons to make that run. 

Kellon Mond is the reason the Vikings haven’t added, and probably won’t add, a veteran backup. He was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft to be more than just “a developmental quarterback.” His future is more real and more near than the late-round pick/udfa types that the team has added in recent years. Since 2000 the Vikings have selected a quarterback in the third round or earlier four times. Tarvaris Jackson (2nd round in 2006), Christian Ponder (1st round in 2011), Teddy Bridgewater (1st round in 2014) and Mond (3rd round in 2021). Each was selected with an early-round pick to be the starter, sooner rather than later. If Mond takes advantage of his opportunity he has a chance to be the Vikings starting quarterback in 2023. Perhaps even next season if things really tilt in his favor. 

Jake Browning was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019. He had an excellent four-year run at Washington after a ridiculous high school career. He threw 91 touchdowns and 5,790 yards during his final high school season. 91 TDs! 5,790 yards! In one season! As a Cal fan, I saw way too much of Browning as the Washington starting quarterback. His four years felt like eight years. It also felt like his four years demanded that he be drafted. I figured that his size and arm were the reason that he wasn’t drafted so it’s a little surprising to see that he’s about the same size as Cousins. He doesn’t have Cousins’ arm. 

Browning doesn’t look the part of an NFL quarterback. Nate Stanley does. 6’4” 235 lbs. That’s probably what forced the Vikings to use a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to insure that they got him. He started three seasons at Iowa and had a productive college career. 27-12 as the Hawkeyes starter. Consistency and a lack of mobility are probably his biggest issues. With no preseason games last year, this year will be the first opportunity to see Stanley throw as a Viking. I’m looking forward to it. Between Browning and Stanley, the latter is probably the more promising NFL quarterback. 

Kirk Cousins is the starter. Unless Kellon Mond is a mess throughout the summer, he’s the backup. I expect the Vikings to keep, at least, a third quarterback on the roster in some capacity. They kept Jake Browning and Nate Stanley on the practice squad last year. Unless one, or both, impress another team during the preseason, I can see that happening again this year.