If Vikings decline to pay Sam Darnold, would Kirk Cousins reunion make sense?

Cousins is expected to be cut by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins prepares for a game against the New York Giants at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 22, 2024. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are currently rolling with eight straight wins and a 13-2 record. It's been nearly two weeks since they locked up a playoff spot. And they're just two wins away from an NFC North title and the conference's top seed.

But for all of the good vibes of the season, there remains a looming question regarding the team's quarterback future for next season and beyond. Sam Darnold is in the midst of a career year with 3,772 yards, 32 touchdown passes and 11 picks while completing 67.2% of his passes. DraftKings gives him the seventh-best odds to win the NFL's MVP Award.

It seems crazy to think that anyone other than Darnold would be the answer next season, but Darnold is playing on a one-year, $10 million deal this season and has a significant raise on the horizon. It's unclear if the Vikings are willing to be the ones to give it to him a year after selecting J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL draft, which was the highest draft pick the franchise has ever used on a quarterback. McCarthy will be coming off a meniscus tear, but is expected to be healthy and ready to go next season, which complicates the offseason decision ahead for Minnesota.

The Vikings have no shortage of options, but also no clear answer. It's difficult to imagine Minnesota would allow Darnold to walk, but if the franchise would rather not commit a large sum of money to the quarterback position, the Vikings could replicate this season's formula of signing a bridge quarterback to a short-term deal until McCarthy is ready for the reigns.

Daniel Jones is already in the building on the practice squad following his release from the New York Giants, and Jones could compete with McCarthy for the starting role. Jones has experience as a starter and would be able to hold his own until McCarthy is ready. Perhaps he could even have a resurgence under Kevin O'Connell like Darnold is having this year.

But there's another potential candidate who could make even more sense as a bridge quarterback next season, one who already knows O'Connell and the offense. That would be former starter Kirk Cousins, who's expected to be released by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason after recently being benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. following a rough season.

It might feel like going backwards, and Cousins struggled in 14 games, throwing for 3,508 yards, 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. But Cousins already knows the Vikings offense; he has connections with the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson; and he was playing some of his best football under O'Connell. And if the Falcons did go through with cutting Cousins, they'd still be on the hook for his salary, allowing the Vikings to sign him for a discount.

There are a lot of reasons a reunion makes sense. Cousins would be a great mentor for McCarthy and a capable starter in the interim until McCarthy was ready. Cousins would get a chance to bounce back from a disappointing season in Atlanta. And the Vikings would avoid a big quarterback contract, providing significant cap space, and clear a path for McCarthy.

There's no guarantee the Falcons will cut Cousins — they could look for a trade partner and eat part of his salary. There's also no indication a reunion is something the Vikings would be interested in, and it's difficult to imagine Minnesota doesn't find a way to keep Darnold for at least next season. That could come by way of franchise tag for an estimated $41 million or it could come on a long-term deal, which would likely at least be on par with the three-year, $100 million contract that Baker Mayfield signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past offseason after a resurgent campaign of his own.

But if the Vikings don't want to commit the big bucks, and if the Falcons cut Cousins, a reunion might make perfect sense.