Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins will not play this week and is out for the season after tearing his Achilles in Week 8.
Minnesota is also missing All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has been out since Week 5 with a hamstring injury.
The Vikings started the season losing four of five games, with all those defeats by seven points or fewer. Minnesota has subsequently won four games in a row and moved to 5-4 on the season since losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.
Who’s the Vikings Starting Quarterback?
Minnesota will start Josh Dobbs against the New Orleans Saints in Week 10. He was acquired at the trade deadline on Oct. 31 and came off the bench five days later to lead the team to a comeback victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
Jaren Hall took over as Viking quarterback after Cousins got hurt against the Packers and started last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Hall suffered a concussion on the team’s second drive of the game.
Dobbs completed 20 of 30 passes for 157 yards, rushed for 66 yards, and scored a touchdown. With the Vikings down four, he threw a six-yard touchdown pass in the final 30 seconds for the game-winning score.
How Was Kirk Cousins Playing Before the Injury?
Cousins completed 69.5% of his passes with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season. He was injured in the second half of the Vikings road win against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 29.
MORE: Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
Cousins threw for over 300 yards in four games and was on his way to a fifth such performance before he was injured against the Packers. He had at least two touchdown passes in seven of the eight games he played.
Cousins Can Be a Free Agent
Cousins, who has been with the Vikings since 2018, is a free agent after this season. Minnesota has signed him to multiple contracts over the years, and the latest contract adjustment cleared around $16 million in salary cap space for this season.
With the new deal, a roster bonus was converted into a signing bonus, and void years were added to prorate the money over a number of years. Cousins will count against the team’s cap even if he’s not on the team.
There was speculation when the Vikings were struggling and before Cousins got hurt that he could be moved at the trade deadline. There were multiple reports that he would not waive his no-trade clause and would remain with the team.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said after Cousins was injured, “I know he’s going to be a free agent after this season, but Kirk knows how I feel about him, and that will be something that hopefully works itself out.”
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