Minnesota Vikings Lose Kirk Cousins for Season, Add Joshua Dobbs in Trade

Posted on: October 31, 2023, 03:18h. 

Last updated on: November 1, 2023, 11:35h.

Pauly McGuire Read More
Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins sustained a season-ending injury on Sunday. Two days later, the Vikings acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals.

Kirk Cousins injury
A medical cart whisks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to the locker room during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. (Image: Getty)

Cousins went down with a torn Achilles in the fourth quarter of a victory against the Green Bay Packers in Week 8. He will undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the season.

This season began with Nick Mullens as the backup quarterback behind Cousins, but Mullens is currently on the IR with a back injury. Rookie Jaren Hall came off the bench for the Vikings in relief of Cousins. He completed three passes for 23 yards and was sacked once.

Hall played for BYU last season and his claim to fame was that he was teammates with Puka Nacua, a wide receiver and rookie sensation with the Los Angeles Rams. The Vikings selected Hall with a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Hall is expected to start in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons. Dobbs should take over as the starter in Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints.

Bad Beat for Cousins

Heading into the final year of his contract with the Vikings, all signs suggested that Cousins would leave in free agency.

When New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers sustained an Achilles injury in the season opener, Cousins became an instant subject of trade rumors. The Vikings struggled to start the season, and the rumors intensified.

Cousins quelled any trade talk a couple of weeks ago when he said he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause and intended to finish the season in Minnesota.

It just hurts to know that he’s more than likely not going to be able to continue progressing forward on what has really felt like maybe his best season as a pro,” said head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Cousins had a strong start to this season. He completed 69.5% of his passes for 2,331 yards and 18 touchdowns. He only threw five interceptions. After a 1-4 start, the Vikings won three games in a row to pull even.

Vikings Add Dobbs at Trade Deadline

The Vikings are 4-4, and a trade for Dobbs indicates they’re not ready to give up on the season. If the season ended today, the Vikings would qualify for an NFC wild card.

Only five teams in the NFC have a better record than the Vikings, who are also tied with the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints at 4-4.

The Cardinals lost five games in a row, and they’re in last place in the NFC with a 1-7 record.

The Cardinals will get a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2024 draft for trading Dobbs to the Vikings. It could turn into a sixth-rounder, depending on how much Dobbs plays through the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, this is the second time that Dobbs was traded this season. He began the preseason with the Cleveland Browns, but they traded him to the Arizona Cardinals just before the season began.

Dobbs started eight games while Kyler Murray was recovering from a torn ACL and surgery. Murray could start as early as Week 9 when the Cardinals play the Cleveland Browns. If Murray doesn’t play, rookie Clayton Tune will start on Sunday.

Dobbs completed 62.8% of his passes for 1,569 yards. He tossed eight touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added three rushing touchdowns.

Dobbs started two games for the Tennessee Titans when Ryan Tannehill suffered an ankle injury. He lost both starts. In 10 career starts, Dobbs is 1-9.

Betting the 4-4 Vikings

The Detroit Lions hold down first place in the NFC North with a 6-2 record. The Vikings are in second place. They’re 2-0 in the division and have yet to square off against the Lions, who they play twice in the final three weeks of the season.

The Lions are a huge favorite to win the NFC North at -1200 odds. The Vikings are second on the board at +900 odds to successfully defend the division title.

The Vikings are +260 odds to make the playoffs, according to a prop bet by DraftKings. You can back them at -360 odds to miss the postseason.

Oddsmakers initially installed the Vikings with a win total of 8.5 over/under this season. Right now, the Vikings are 7.5 o/u , indicating that the bookies don’t think the Vikings will secure a spot in the playoffs.

The Vikings have nine remaining games on their schedule. Only three of their future opponents have a winning record. Two opponents are 4-4, and four have a losing record, including the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers.

The Vikings are a long shot at +15000 odds to win Super Bowl LVIII. They were +6500 odds last week prior to Cousins’ injury. The Vikings are currently +10000 odds to win the NFC Championship, and those conference odds also had a significant drop since they lost Cousins.