The Facts: When Cousins was lost for the rest of the 2023 season due to a torn Achilles on Oct. 29, it brought not only a crushing reality to the Vikings but also a question: Was this the end of their partnership? Perhaps not. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said this past Wednesday -- three days after Cousins' injury -- that "every option is still available with Kirk." That includes a return to Minnesota to finish what Cousins, head coach Kevin O'Connell and the rest of the organization have started.

Diehards Line: Cousins is a free agent after the season, as the two sides agreed for him to play out his most recent extension after earning $30 million this year. Cousins also has a no-trade clause and cannot be franchise-tagged. All of which led to the assumption -- notably from QB-needy teams -- that Cousins would leave the Vikings after 2023, at which point Minnesota would draft a QB. The Vikings, who will start rookie Jaren Hall today against the Falcons, could still select a quarterback in the 2024 draft. But that move could be coupled with a Cousins return, sources tell NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It's something to watch in coming weeks.