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Few NFL teams have had a wilder season than the Minnesota Vikings. After spending all of last season winning every close game imaginable, they began this year with four one-score losses in the first five weeks. Then they reeled off five consecutive wins despite losing starting quarterback Kirk Cousins during that stretch, and having to turn to Josh Dobbs -- who had arrived mere days earlier -- for part of it as well. When the magical Dobbs ride ended, they went to Nick Mullens, and now that Mullens has turned it over six times in the last two games (both losses), they are turning to fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall. 

And this has all happened while they have dealt with injuries and turmoil all over the place on offense, including losing Justin Jefferson for nearly half the season and now T.J. Hockenson for the remainder of it. And that's just the offense, which was expected to be the unit that carried the team this year but instead has largely been the one holding a surprisingly-effective defense back. 

With the Vikings hosting a divisional showdown with the Packers on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC) and clearly having no firm plan at QB for the future, we decided to take a look at what their options will be for next year and beyond. 

Bring back Kirk Cousins

Let's be realistic here: This one isn't happening. If the Vikings had any intention of running it back with Cousins, they would have extended him last offseason instead of carrying his $20.5 million cap number with a $28.5 million dead money hit for next year that kicks in when his contract voids at the end of this season. And after he tore his Achilles earlier this season, it makes even less sense for them to buy into Cousins' age-36-and-beyond seasons. 

See what Jaren Hall can do

This option likely depends on Hall playing really, really well over these final two weeks of the season and looking at least competent in a potential Vikings playoff game. Otherwise, Minnesota should probably be aiming higher for The Quarterback of Justin Jefferson's Future. The likelihood of a fifth-round pick who is already 25 years old as a rookie being that guy is very, very low. 

Veteran free agents

There are plenty of options here, but if we're being honest, none of them would make more sense as the starter than just going back to Cousins, who is likely to be the best veteran on the free-agent market. If you want to bring in somebody like Ryan Tannehill, Jacoby Brissett, Tyrod Taylor, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, or even (assuming he gets cut) Russell Wilson as a backup behind whomever you target to be the next starter, fine. But if you want one of those guys as the presumptive starter, that just seems ill-advised. Technically Baker Mayfield is also an option here, but there's already smoke about him re-signing in Tampa for a longer term.

Trade possibilities

There are maybe two truly intriguing options here: Justin Fields and Kyler Murray, if they're available. If Chicago gets the No. 1 pick and decides it is going to move forward with Caleb Williams or Drake Maye, there's not likely to be a quarterback with a higher ceiling than Fields that becomes available this offseason. We've seen tremendous upside as both a passer and a runner, but there are obviously flaws that could hold him back. Still, it could end up being the best option. If the Cardinals get one of the top picks and decide they're no longer all-in on Murray, he's probably a safer bet than Fields when on the field, and perhaps more of a fit to play with Jefferson, but he's also a high injury risk. 

The other trade possibilities are players like Daniel Jones, Mac Jones, Trey Lance, Malik Willis, and Desmond Ridder. None of those are particularly inspiring options.

The draft

The Vikings are highly unlikely to land a pick in the range to select Williams or Maybe, or possibly Jayden Daniels. They are are 7-8 and right now would make the No. 15 pick in the draft. If they lose both of their remaining games they could jump into the top 10, which would give them a better chance at either landing one of those players or trading up to get into position to draft them. There are also possibilities like J.J. McCarthy, Shadeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix Jr., depending on which of them actually enters the draft. It's a crapshoot to hinge Jefferson's future on a rookie, but it may be a better option than any of the others available to the Vikings this offseason.