Play Hall, Resign Cousins

I think Kirk has earned another shot to make a run with JJ. It’s not like he’s been known for his legs so as long as he doesn’t have PTSD he should still be able to perform when he returns.

I think that next year those options that you referenced should be an understudy to Kirk and then reevaluate after next season.

They need some hungry young RBs for a new committee next year. Mattison is a player with more upside to replacement IMO. The trend says RBs are replaceable so replace them with young guys with lots of juice, and drill home the ball security. QBs are not so replaceable and take time, or you’ll risk killing their confidence like we’ve seen so many times.

I just think Kirk will have it still when he comes back so other holes should be addressed and a slower approach taken to the QB slot.

This year? I would start Dobbs. Monday was his worst game of the season, possibly his career. We can’t overreact to one game. KOC needs to gameplan to Dobbs’ strengths instead of re-implementing the gameplan he used for Kirk. They have totally different skill sets. Also, we actually really don’t need to know what he have in Hall. He’s going to be the backup next season no matter what, not the starter, and not off the team. I’d rather boost our comp pick we’ll get for Dobbs. Starting Mullens is an admission that KOC can’t build an offense for a mobile QB, which is my worst case scenario.

Next year? Draft a rookie. I think there’s a great chance a franchise QB falls to the teens where the Vikings will probably be picking, and it’s our GMs job to find him. I love Kirk, but this is the time to move on.

Strap Kirk onto Dobb’s back so you have the best of both worlds.

Honestly, stick with Kirk for 1 more season. If they can, draft (or maybe even sign) a good QB this off-season and have him sit behind Kirk for the season and learn.

Short-term, I don’t think it matters. The ceiling is very low with any of the 3 options. Long-term, both 1 and 3. The league is very QB-needy but the draft is also pretty deep. Someone will be there that’s worth either their 1st or 2nd. Then try to re-sign Kirk to both help mentor and give this roster a shot at being competitive. We compete for a Super Bowl with Kirk (and hopefully a defense that’s both bolstered with new talent and still led by Flores) for a year or 2 then move on when Kirk is approaching 40. I mean, maybe Kirk goes full Brady and plays well at that age but that’s a tough thing to expect.

While Kirk has probably played better than most people think he has recently, having him did not make the Vikings “contenders”. The closest they came was the Minnesota Miracle or losing to the 49ers in '19.

Having a mid-tier QB (which Kirk is, regardless of what his season stats say) on a top-of-market cap hit ensures you don’t make any waves in the playoffs. Vikings have been lucky that they hit on Jefferson right after shipping off Diggs.

how much is cousins asking for next year? if the vikings could get him to play on a team friendly deal, seems like their best option. i dunno much about cousins, but he’s been there a LONG time and i’m guessing he wouldn’t mind retiring there. he prob has at least 1 or 2 good years left in him when he comes back from injury. keep jefferson, continue building around cousins, pick a good RB, and maybe pick up a later round QB too to learn behind cousins. I feel like having a rookie sit behind a good starter for a year or 2 has been completely abandoned by the NFL, except for the packers. i mean Love didn’t look great when he was drafted, but he seems to be playing a lot better now.

anyway, with cousins and a lil more help, the vikings could go to the playoffs next season. but i’m not sure y’all are a SB team with cousins. prob get bounced by SF or Eagles in the playoffs. but who fuckin knows, when you get to the playoffs every team needs a lil bit of luck.

Sign Kirk to reasonable 10 year extension 15M/ year guaranteed, while the result of surgery is unknown. save money down the road.

Start Jaren Hall the rest of the yr and see what he has.

Give Dobbs a game with JJ

If Kirk wants to come back on a much reduced contract I bring him back, if not I let him walk and get a comp pick.

Dobbs, thanks for the fun, hope you get us a comp pick back too.

Hall/Mullens + a first round pick (please be Big Penix energy!)

even if Dobbs didn’t put up an absolute stinker, did anyone really think they were gonna sneak into the playoffs from a low wildcard spot? maybe you get lucky and knock off whatever dogshit NFC south team takes the division, then you have likely the Lions, Eagles, 49ers, or Cowboys to get through on the road.

Dobbs playing well enough to keep the team in the playoff race was a nice surprise but this was always going to end. roll with Dobbs, get a proper evaluation on him as a 17 game starter and address this in the offseason properly, not midseason.

As long as the Vikings are mathematically alive, go with Dobbs. If you get eliminated from contention, roll with Hall. If he shows anything that can be considered franchise QB material, you go with Hall as the starter next year and Dobbs as a vet backup, or whomever could be a good mentor to him and let Kirk go. If Hall shows nothing at all, bring Kirk back

Omg, the answer is ride with Kirk til he’s done done. Kirk is a top 10 QB and extremely underrated.

You can draft a developmental qb if you’d like but no other major changes. He is not and hasn’t been the Vikings problem