Ed. note: The Vikings have traded for Josh Dobbs. Stay tuned for more information on Minnesota’s latest trades.
Right when the Minnesota Vikings pull themselves out of the NFL’s darkness and into the light, Kirk Cousins is lost for the season after suffering an Achilles injury in the second half of Sunday’s 24-10 victory at Lambeau Field over the Green Bay Packers. After staring down the barrel of a lost season at 1-4 and with Justin Jefferson on IR, Cousins’ play alongside stellar defensive performances from Brian Flores’ bunch helped bring Minnesota right back into playoff contention.
Where do the Vikings go from here? Is fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall the guy going forward? Does Nick Mullens take over once he’s eligible to return from IR in Week 10? Will Kwesi Adofo-Mensah swing a deal for a quarterback before Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline? Which quarterback currently on the couch can help this team sustain its playoff push?
Just one week after their season-altering victory over the San Francisco 49ers, the Vikings are faced with the ultimate fork in the road at the game’s most important position.
In the short term, Minnesota seemingly has no choice but to roll with Hall in Week 9’s road tilt against the 4-4 Atlanta Falcons. The only other quarterback currently in the building, Sean Mannion, has been on the practice squad since mid-October. If the Vikings can swing a deal for a proven backup — such as Andy Dalton or Jacoby Brissett — in exchange for a late Day 3 draft pick, it’s certainly worth exploring. But if the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders aren’t willing to deal their QB2s to Minnesota, then free-agent quarterback Colt McCoy might just have to do.
The former Texas Longhorn signal caller is far from a splashy name. McCoy, 37, is a journeyman who’s played for five different teams across his 12-year career. The Arizona Cardinals surprisingly cut him in late-August after he was presumably set to lead the team in Kyler Murray‘s absence. The Vikings brought him in for a visit in mid-October after a back injury forced Mullens to IR. Now that circumstances have taken a dire turn in Minnesota’s quarterback room, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see McCoy sign with the team.
It’s worth mentioning that Kevin O’Connell spent three years with McCoy as his quarterbacks coach and/or offensive coordinator during their time together in Washington from 2017 to 2019.
During his Arizona stint in 2021, they thrust McCoy into action in Week 9 after an injury sidelined Murray. The 7-1 Cardinals tasked McCoy with keeping the ship afloat as Kliff Kingsbury‘s team was embarking on their own playoff push. Who did McCoy draw in his first start as Arizona’s QB1? The eventual NFC runner-up San Francisco 49ers. At Levi’s Stadium.
McCoy was masterful in helping lead a 31-17 victory over Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans‘ elite 49ers defense. Without having the luxury of All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to throw to in this particular contest, McCoy still produced the following.
- 22/26 (84.6 completion percentage)
- 249 yards
- 1 touchdown
- 119.4 passer rating
- 0 turnovers
After laying an egg the following week at home against the Carolina Panthers, McCoy again had to beat a divisional opponent on the road. This time it was the Seattle Seahawks. Still without Hopkins as a security blanket, McCoy helped lead the Cardinals to a 23-13 victory, dicing up Pete Carroll’s defense in the process.
- 35/44 (79.6 completion percentage)
- 328 yards
- 2 touchdowns
- 112.9 passer rating
- 0 turnovers
The Cardinals went 2-1 with McCoy as their starter and were sitting at 9-2 entering their Week 12 bye before Murray returned in Week 13 for the remainder of the season. Across his three starts, McCoy’s production was:
- 68/90 (75.6 completion percentage)
- 684 yards
- 3 touchdowns
- 1 interception
- 1 lost fumble
- 103.2 passer rating
You’d be hard-pressed to ask for much more out of a backup quarterback than what McCoy gave Kingsbury and his Hopkins-less Cardinals offense in November 2021.
Would signing McCoy mean that he’d immediately become Minnesota’s starting quarterback? Of course not. At the very least, he’s a veteran presence who has proven capable of helping string together enough wins if called upon for a playoff team — which is exactly what the Vikings are in desperate search of at the moment.
Could Jaren Hall become Minnesota’s version of Brock Purdy from last season? A Day 3 draft pick rookie who shocks the football universe by lighting it up alongside a bevy of talented skill position players, an All-Pro caliber left tackle, and an offensive-minded head coach? As JP from Angels In the Outfield liked to say with a shoulder shrug, “It could happen.”
In the event that Hall and/or Mullens aren’t able to recreate Purdy’s magic, let alone help the team win, McCoy could serve as the steady veteran hand in O’Connell’s bullpen of quarterbacks. Ready to play within himself, adhere to the structure of the offense, and get the ball out quickly and effectively to Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Jefferson (if/when he returns from IR).
