After a gutsy regular season turnaround, the Minnesota Vikings were delivered a devastating blow when quarterback (and league-leader in passing yards) Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon.
In the short term, Minnesota’s future looks bleak. The only other healthy quarterback on the roster is rookie Jaren Hall. Veteran backup Nick Mullens is currently on the IR with a back issue and Sean Mannion is on the practice squad.
With a wild card bid still in reach, an emergency veteran upgrade is certainly an option. Obviously, Minnesota is about 1,275+ miles from the Lone Star State. Still, there are plenty of Texas high school football grads available as fill-in options.
We came up with the four best that could takeover the open roster spot:
Ryan Tannehill
It’s no secret that the former Pro Bowler is available. After exhausting his tenure with the Tennessee Titans in lieu of Will Levis’ fantastic debut against the Falcons last week, Tannehill could still be a serviceable, playoff-ready passer that could thrive as a short-term rental. An ankle injury caused him to miss Week 8, but reports across the league claim it isn’t very serious.
High School: The Big Spring graduate passed for 1,258 yards and rushed for 617 yards, guiding his team to the playoffs as a senior. He later played three seasons at Texas A&M.
Colt McCoy
During the preseason, McCoy was waived by the Arizona Cardinals, and his professional career was left up in the air. Now, rumors are persisting that the veteran could be joining Minnesota, either on the roster or practice squad.
Coach Kevin O’Connell and McCoy worked together with the then Washington Redskins from 2017 through 2019. McCoy has the benefit of boasting 36 starts throughout his career. If he is called by the Vikings, it would be the second time McCoy will work out for the squad this year.
High School: Coached by his father at Jim Ned, McCoy was a three-year letterman at quarterback who posted a 34-2 record as a junior and senior. After graduating, he had a legendary career with the UT Longhorns.
Andy Dalton
So far, Andy Dalton has been a solid mentor for No. 1 pick Bryce Young in Carolina. Still, who wouldn’t be available on a 1-6 team before the deadline?
Of course, Dalton isn’t at the level of his heyday with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he has been a serviceable fill-in for the Saints and the Panthers the last two season. However, the less said about his Cowboys tenure, the better.
High School: As a junior and senior at Katy, Dalton posted the highest quarterback rating in the district. He led the Tigers to a 14-1 record and the Texas 5A finals, before attending TCU.
Case Keenum
The last time the Vikings made the NFC championship, Keenum was the shot-caller. No one locally will forget the Minneapolis Miracle. Yet, that was back in 2018.
At 35, Keenum’s best may be behind him. Still, he is an active member on the Houston Texans, signed to mentor potential rookie of the year C.J. Stroud. Currently, Keenum ranks third on the depth chart, behind both Stroud and Davis Mills.
High School: With Wylie, Keenum passed for 6,783 yards and 48 touchdowns in his career. Recruited by all Texas DI teams, Keenum ultimately committed to Houston.
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