The 2023 NFL season was a roller-coaster ride for the Minnesota Vikings as they started off 1-3 before reeling off a winning streak to get them back into the playoff hunt.

However, any hopes the Vikings had of making the postseason died when Kirk Cousins suffered an Achilles tear that forced him to miss the remainder of the season.

It was a huge blow for Minnesota, who was peaking at the right time of the year, and now must figure out what to do at quarterback for the 2024 NFL season.

Cousins’ injury complicated his free agency because teams will be wary of paying an older quarterback guaranteed money.

Despite that, Cousins is still expected to generate plenty of interest around the league as he’s the best player at his position in free agency.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell doesn’t seem panicked about the situation as he’s allowing Cousins to go through the process, via Andrew Siciliano of NFL Network.

“[Kirk Cousins has] earned the right to be a free agent,” O’Connell said. “I know Kirk is going to go through a full process. He’s a process guy.”

Kevin O'Connell, on @nflnetwork, says Kirk Cousins has "earned the right to be a free agent."

"I know Kirk is going to go through a full process. He's a process guy."

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) March 2, 2024

O’Connell would surely like to have Cousins back in the fold because of their relationship and his experience, but Minnesota will have competition for his services.

The most likely route is for Cousins to sign a one or two-year deal with a team that allows him to rehab his value before jumping back into free agency.

The Vikings could surely use Cousins to run their offense again, but only time will tell if a reunion is indeed in the cards for both sides.

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