this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2023
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This is actually 2 questions:

  1. How do you proceed after the bye
  2. How do you proceed after the season

As you can imagine, Vikings fans have a lot of opinions here. You have your Kirk loyalists, your tank commanders and even your Dobbs defenders.

It’s a bit of a cluster, but I am confident /r/nfl will have the answers.

Let’s start with the 1st question. You have 3 options here:

  1. Start Mullens: very likely this will give you the best chance to make a playoff run, but let’s be real… you are not going to do anything when you get there.

  2. Start Dobbs: Maybe you could delude yourself into thinking last week was a blip and not his luck running out?

  3. Start Hall: He looked good in the couple of series he played, why don’t you see what you have to get a more accurate picture for our next question?

Now on to question 2, again we have 3 options here:

  1. Resign Kirk, make no mistake, you will not get a discount. Let’s assume it’s a market rate deal. He will be 36 for most of next season coming off the injury.

  2. Fuck them picks and try to get in spitting distance of one of the top QB prospects in the 2024 draft.

  3. Let it fall to you, take a QB in the top 50ish picks, have Hall and rookie QB dual it out, let the chips fall where they may.

It’s a complicated situation, and we need answers. Obviously Kwesi is here religiously so give him some good advice.

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[–] FishGoldenLite@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Roll with Hall to see what we have and then draft a QB next year. Trading up is acceptable.

It’s been a rocky ride with Kirk and he’s another year older coming off a bad injury - it’s time to move on. We can use that money for some really important upgrades and re-signing Hunter.

I’m ready for a new chapter.

[–] JozzifDaBrozzif@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

This season-🤷‍♂️Dobbs I guess Next season -Kirk cousins, call me crazy

[–] Sharcbait@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

If Kirk wants to come back on a much reduced contract I bring him back, if not I let him walk and get a comp pick.

Dobbs, thanks for the fun, hope you get us a comp pick back too.

Hall/Mullens + a first round pick (please be Big Penix energy!)

[–] ToyStoryBoy6994@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Give Dobbs a game with JJ

[–] hoobsher@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago (2 children)

even if Dobbs didn't put up an absolute stinker, did anyone really think they were gonna sneak into the playoffs from a low wildcard spot? maybe you get lucky and knock off whatever dogshit NFC south team takes the division, then you have likely the Lions, Eagles, 49ers, or Cowboys to get through on the road.

Dobbs playing well enough to keep the team in the playoff race was a nice surprise but this was always going to end. roll with Dobbs, get a proper evaluation on him as a 17 game starter and address this in the offseason properly, not midseason.

[–] chillinwithmoes@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

did anyone really think they were gonna sneak into the playoffs

I mean, they're still more likely than not to get the 7th seed. If they hadn't blown the Bears game they'd have been at like 85%. The middle of the NFC is terrible this year.

[–] raphtafarian@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

The NFC is very weak and the Vikings probably only need to win 3 of their remaining games to win, which is doable. This wouldn't be a question if Kirk wasn't injured. I'll maintain he would've won MVP this season if he didn't get injured.

[–] Bill3ffinMurray@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Resign Kirk.

[–] GenXer1977@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

As a Steelers fan, I really like Dobbs and would have preferred to keep him over Tribusky. So if I'm the Vikings, I'd want to keep him as the #2 guy. But,vIs also talk to Dobbs, and if he wants a chance to leave and try to be a starter somewhere I'd let him.

[–] Chirpy69@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

As long as the Vikings are mathematically alive, go with Dobbs. If you get eliminated from contention, roll with Hall. If he shows anything that can be considered franchise QB material, you go with Hall as the starter next year and Dobbs as a vet backup, or whomever could be a good mentor to him and let Kirk go. If Hall shows nothing at all, bring Kirk back

[–] Amateurmasterson@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Omg, the answer is ride with Kirk til he’s done done. Kirk is a top 10 QB and extremely underrated.

You can draft a developmental qb if you’d like but no other major changes. He is not and hasn’t been the Vikings problem

[–] LordOfHorns@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago
[–] JJettasDad@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Start Jaren Hall the rest of the yr and see what he has.

[–] Purplin@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

They need to draft a QB in the first next year. Let him sit right away though to learn/adjust.

[–] chicknsnadwich@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

I mean starting Mullins makes pretty much no sense at all. Dobbs is better than him in every way so unless you’re trying to tank, It has to be either Dobbs or Hall. I wouldn’t mind them going back to Hall, as evaluating the young QB could help a lot in their decision going to next year.

For question 2, I think you have to try and re-sign Kirk. In order to convince JJ to re-sign, there needs to be some form of direction at QB. If i’m the front office, I’d really just talk to him and see what he prefers, because the most important thing for them is to keep him in the building.

[–] Khada_the_Collector@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

After the bye? Whoever looked the best in practice honestly. Split reps best you can in practice and whoever looks the best, go with that.

After the season is…murkier, to say the least. Kirk, even off an injury, has to be the best option on paper IMO. But if Hall lights it up, or if Dobby the House QB finds a few more socks, things get less clear in a hurry. Six wins is definitely out of the Caleb Williams/Drake Maye tier, but perhaps it might be enough to figure out something for JJ McCarthy? IDK, shit seems a bit fucked for the Vikes.

(Side discussion—for all the memeing about Throw Rogan eventually winding up in Vikings purple, what about a different QB from NY coming to MIN? I’m not saying ZW would be any better as a Viking than he is as a Jet, but a change of scenery with their existing weapons and OL might be enough to salvage something.)

[–] frozen_hobo@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago
  1. How do you proceed after the bye

There's probably a hard cap of early playoff exit, no matter who is at QB.

The best choice is Hall starting if he's physically good to go. Tiny sample size, but the seal was cracked. He looked sharp and balanced in ATL. Evaluate him and compete at the same time. Dobbs showed the offense doesn't need anything special in their passer to be OK. Just HIT OPEN RECIEVERS, WITHOUT MAKING THEM LEAVE THEIR FEET WHEN ITS NOT THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.

I can't take watch our receivers get blown up on very routine shit.

The conservative and most likely choice is Mullens starting because of the intangible "best shot, blah blah."

I'm afraid they will go with the worst option, leaving Dobbs out there...while simultaneously forcing him into a box that relies on his weakest attributes and ignores his few strengths.

My wild and fun plan would be Mullens/Hall, but with a twist that we build a little package of stuff that utilizes Dobbs skillset (without telling him, but telling everyone else), then randomly throwing him in on drives. Describing the plays on the fly to him and letting him use raw instincts and unprepared defenses to do wacky athletic shit.

  1. How do you proceed after the season

Tough choice. Depends on so many factors.

I hope we can get a healthy Kirk back for 1-2 years without a meaningful jump in price. But if he can return to form, he's probably worth market price. We also would hopefully see what Hall looks like in live action by then, and that can inform drafting considerations.

I don't know what else sounds fun for the near future. I don't want to trade up and sell the farm for a lottery ticket. We don't win those here in MN.

[–] DIKS_OUT_4_HARAMBE@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The amount of times I see football fans misspell re-sign as “resign” is crazy and a dumb pet peeve of mine, but they really do mean two completely opposite things.

[–] zacboggz@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

The formatting doesn’t help

[–] FOMOBraggins@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

I think Kirk has earned another shot to make a run with JJ. It’s not like he’s been known for his legs so as long as he doesn’t have PTSD he should still be able to perform when he returns.

I think that next year those options that you referenced should be an understudy to Kirk and then reevaluate after next season.

They need some hungry young RBs for a new committee next year. Mattison is a player with more upside to replacement IMO. The trend says RBs are replaceable so replace them with young guys with lots of juice, and drill home the ball security. QBs are not so replaceable and take time, or you’ll risk killing their confidence like we’ve seen so many times.

I just think Kirk will have it still when he comes back so other holes should be addressed and a slower approach taken to the QB slot.

[–] _User_Profile@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

This year? I would start Dobbs. Monday was his worst game of the season, possibly his career. We can't overreact to one game. KOC needs to gameplan to Dobbs' strengths instead of re-implementing the gameplan he used for Kirk. They have totally different skill sets. Also, we actually really don't need to know what he have in Hall. He's going to be the backup next season no matter what, not the starter, and not off the team. I'd rather boost our comp pick we'll get for Dobbs. Starting Mullens is an admission that KOC can't build an offense for a mobile QB, which is my worst case scenario.

Next year? Draft a rookie. I think there's a great chance a franchise QB falls to the teens where the Vikings will probably be picking, and it's our GMs job to find him. I love Kirk, but this is the time to move on.

[–] _mdz@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

I know he sucked last game but has Dobbs really been that bad in the other games? Dude was electric against us in week 9. Give him a chance to bounce back?

You still haven't even seen Dobbs + JJ. Jefferson playing likely gets you the W against CHI.

[–] turbodude69@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

how much is cousins asking for next year? if the vikings could get him to play on a team friendly deal, seems like their best option. i dunno much about cousins, but he's been there a LONG time and i'm guessing he wouldn't mind retiring there. he prob has at least 1 or 2 good years left in him when he comes back from injury. keep jefferson, continue building around cousins, pick a good RB, and maybe pick up a later round QB too to learn behind cousins. I feel like having a rookie sit behind a good starter for a year or 2 has been completely abandoned by the NFL, except for the packers. i mean Love didn't look great when he was drafted, but he seems to be playing a lot better now.

anyway, with cousins and a lil more help, the vikings could go to the playoffs next season. but i'm not sure y'all are a SB team with cousins. prob get bounced by SF or Eagles in the playoffs. but who fuckin knows, when you get to the playoffs every team needs a lil bit of luck.

[–] MajoraOfTime@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Let the Dobbs keep the reins and see how he does with JJ back in the lineup. If he still struggles, give Hall the start for the rest of the year.

[–] radskorpion@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Strap Kirk onto Dobb’s back so you have the best of both worlds.

[–] ThrowRA-IAmABadFrend@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Honestly, stick with Kirk for 1 more season. If they can, draft (or maybe even sign) a good QB this off-season and have him sit behind Kirk for the season and learn.

[–] PanhandleAngler@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Could give a long winded real answer but the TLDR would be “the Vikings are kind of fucked”.

[–] cleanRubik@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

While Kirk has probably played better than most people think he has recently, having him did not make the Vikings "contenders". The closest they came was the Minnesota Miracle or losing to the 49ers in '19.

Having a mid-tier QB (which Kirk is, regardless of what his season stats say) on a top-of-market cap hit ensures you don't make any waves in the playoffs. Vikings have been lucky that they hit on Jefferson right after shipping off Diggs.

[–] BruhMoment763@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Short-term, I don’t think it matters. The ceiling is very low with any of the 3 options. Long-term, both 1 and 3. The league is very QB-needy but the draft is also pretty deep. Someone will be there that’s worth either their 1st or 2nd. Then try to re-sign Kirk to both help mentor and give this roster a shot at being competitive. We compete for a Super Bowl with Kirk (and hopefully a defense that’s both bolstered with new talent and still led by Flores) for a year or 2 then move on when Kirk is approaching 40. I mean, maybe Kirk goes full Brady and plays well at that age but that’s a tough thing to expect.

[–] Walks_with_Chaos@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

There is no way Vikes make a change at QB, after one shit game, even if it was to Chicago.

They will give Dobbs a couple more probably. Yes if he stinks and the playoffs are out of the question then I do think they should see what they have in Hall

[–] zacboggz@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It's obvious. The Vikings will trade for Aaron Rodgers and he will get them to the NFC Championship game.

[–] Arcgonslow@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Time is a flat circle

[–] monkeyhold99@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Stay with Dobbs. He had one bad game. If he’s trash for another half then go to Hall and see what he’s got

[–] stonecoldcb@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

You have to go with Hall to see if he can be the future starter. Mullens or Dobbs are what they are, they aren’t going to become franchise QB’s at this point.

[–] MrHaZeYo@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

The viks need to decide on if Cousins is worth bringing back.

On one hand, he's still good, and division wise it's just the Lions, you can compete in the north with Cousins. On the other hand, he's getting old, he'll cost alot, you're about to need to back a brinks truck up for jj.

I think no matter what choice they make, they shouldn't actively be trying to make the play offs, bc we all know they arnt going anywhere when there. Sometimes getting a higher pick is the better idea. Their defense needs help, I'm sure other areas do to.

With that in mind, start Allen, he's a rookie, and he did look good in limited action. With thus 1 of 3 things will happen.

Hell look good and ball out, you now have your QB for cheap.

He'll look ok, but won't do enough to win games, or takes a bit to adjust to the pros, you get a higher pick to help him next year.

He'll suck and you'll get within throwing distance of 1 of the QBs.

[–] Jakethered_game@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

I just had this conversation with my vikings fans coworker today. The viks are up the creek without a paddle right now. They are in a situation where they can make a playoff push, but it's unlikely that they get anywhere in the playoffs without a QB. They're also in a situation where they are going to have mid round picks so they can't take a realistic shot at one of the top QB prospects this year without selling the farm. So I say start Hall, see what's there and hope that it's good enough to avoid having to pay a TE, QB, and WR top dollar.

The next question is, do you allow Jefferson to come back or just shut him down? Or does Jefferson (in a contract year) shut it down and decide the risk isn't worth the reward in this case.

[–] Fearless-Mushroom@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Dobbs.

No QB is 100% consistent, and he’s shown ups and downs.

Let him keep building on the great year he’s having so far!

[–] PossiblyShibby@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Tank for picks because the team is horrible.

[–] owlbear4lyfe@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Sign Kirk to reasonable 10 year extension 15M/ year guaranteed, while the result of surgery is unknown. save money down the road.

[–] Good_Energy9@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago
  1. Hall is pretty talented so move on from Cuz, Dobbs
[–] S_204@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Move Cousins to a front office role. Sign the guy you have now to a 3 year deal for moderate money and hope like hell to find a guy in the draft that can slide in after a year or two of learning.

Their window is closed now. It was barely open but it's closed. They're back at square one with a roster too talented to get a great pick but not built well enough to be a threat in the playoffs.

[–] Alarming_Mistake_432@alien.top 1 points 9 months ago

Play Hall, Resign Cousins