Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins tests positive for COVID

Dane Mizutani, Pioneer Press
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Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has tested positive for COVID and will miss Sunday’s preseason opener against the Raiders in Las Vegas. He is now required, by NFL rule, to isolate for five days.

“He’s feeling pretty darn good with very limited symptoms,” coach Kevin O’Connell said before Friday’s practice at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. “We’re going to let him rest up and get ready to go. He should by the protocol standards be back by Tuesday morning ready to roll.”

If that’s indeed the case, Cousins should be back on the field when the Vikings host the San Francisco 49ers for joint practices next week.

While there’s a chance Cousins would’ve sat out the preseason opener regardless of his health, this provides a clear opportunity for both Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond to stake their claim at the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Asked about which quarterback would start the preseason opener, O’Connell said the Vikings haven’t yet made that decision.

“We’re still working through that,” O’Connell said. “Those guys have pretty much split the reps all the way through. I’m going to get together with (offensive coordinator) Wes Phillips and the rest of our staff and we’ll figure out a good game plan for those guys. No matter who starts they’re both going to play a ton.”

As for Cousins, he reported his symptoms ahead of Thursday’s practice, took a rapid test, and a few hours later, was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID via a PCR test.

“We just wanted to make sure,” O’Connell said. “”All things considered I was really happy with the process of which we went about confirming it and making sure first and foremost we were taking care of Kirk and obviously our players and coaches around him.”

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