Two former Vikings QBs named as bench candidates for 2026

Every year, without fail, the NFL turns and burns quarterbacks. Should a quarterback play poorly, they will face criticism from fans and the media, ultimately resulting in their benching in favor of a fresh face, in hopes of jump-starting an offense. As we look forward to the 2026 NFL season, two former Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks could face a ride to the pine mid-season.

According to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report, both Daniel Jones and Kirk Cousins are candidates who could be benched mid-season. Jones was performing near an MVP level last season before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. These injuries can be difficult to recover from and return to your former level of play. Not to mention, it appears that Anthony Richardson has looked very sharp so far in OTAs.

For Cousins, the answer as to why he might get benched is obvious. You simply do not invest the number one overall pick in this day and age without seeing him on the field in his rookie season. With Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders have a chance to establish a franchise quarterback for the first time since Derek Carr, and might choose to roll him out this season.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Daniel Jones and Kirk Cousins in tough spots heading into 2026