Vikings expected to have interest in ex-Heisman Trophy finalist

Sep 1, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; General view of the Minnesota Vikings logo at midfield during a NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings have lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins for the rest of the season due to a torn Achilles tendon. Now they are looking for some more depth at QB, and they could very well have interest in a familiar player.

Vikings reporter Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune said on Monday that free agent quarterback Colt McCoy is a player to watch for the Vikings.

“An immediate name to keep an eye on for the #Vikings is Colt McCoy, who’d spent three years with Kevin O’Connell in Washington. McCoy visited the Vikings earlier this month, and could be a fit now to join the team’s QB room,” Goessling wrote.

An immediate name to keep an eye on for the #Vikings is Colt McCoy, who’d spent three years with Kevin O’Connell in Washington. McCoy visited the Vikings earlier this month, and could be a fit now to join the team’s QB room.

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) October 30, 2023

McCoy, 37, was cut by the Arizona Cardinals before the season and has been a free agent. He visited the Vikings in early October and has familiarity with Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell. O’Connell was an offensive coach with Washington from 2017-2019 when McCoy was the team’s backup quarterback.

A former star quarterback at Texas, McCoy was a two-time All-American in college and finished second in Heisman Trophy voting as a junior and third as a senior. He has made a long living in the NFL, serving mostly as a backup since being drafted in 2010. McCoy has had stints with the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, and most recently, the Cardinals.

Rookie Jaren Hall and Nick Mullens are the only quarterbacks the Vikings have on the roster besides Cousins. Minnesota has won three in a row to get to .500 at 4-4.