The Minnesota Vikings are stirring up the quarterback rumor mill, with whispers about a potential veteran addition. Kirk Cousins' name keeps popping up, especially with talk of the Atlanta Falcons possibly trading him this offseason. While a return to Minnesota might seem logical on paper, not everyone is convinced it's in the cards.
Diannia Russini from The Athletic shared her insights on the “Scoop City” podcast, expressing skepticism about the Vikings' interest in Cousins. She believes the team is more focused on nurturing JJ McCarthy's talents.
“Minnesota, to me, it makes sense [to sign Cousins] on paper, but I just don't see it happening, I don't,” Russini stated. “I think they really want to develop JJ.
I really think they want to get JJ going. And I learned that actually, this week, more than ever.”
Russini did acknowledge, however, that the Vikings' commitment to McCarthy doesn't entirely rule out the acquisition of a seasoned quarterback this offseason. While Cousins remains a possibility, she suggests Minnesota might look elsewhere for veteran leadership.
Cousins, now 37, just finished his 14th NFL season. He began the 2025-26 season as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta but stepped up to start eight games after Penix suffered a partially torn ACL. Cousins delivered with 1,721 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, completing 61.7% of his passes.
Although Kirk Cousins to the #Vikings makes sense on paper, @DMRussini says she doesn’t see it happening, she mentioned on @ScoopCityShow. She mentioned how she’s learned this week “more than ever” how important JJ McCarthy’s development is to Minnesota:
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) February 25, 2026
“I think they really… pic.twitter.com/qVpw3MYDRj
Meanwhile, the Vikings are also linked to Aaron Rodgers in the rumor mill, though nothing concrete has emerged. Regardless, the expectation is that Minnesota will be on the hunt for a veteran quarterback, whether through free agency or a trade.