The NFL on Tuesday watched its second starting quarterback go down in less than a week.
Days after Cowboys star Tony Romo fractured his back, the Minnesota Vikings saw their promising roster rocked to the core as Teddy Bridgewater was rushed to the hospital with what was later announced as a dislocated knee and compete tear of his ACL along with other structural damage.
With journeyman Shaun Hill and the untested Joel Stave as the only healthy quarterbacks left on the roster, Minnesota is under pressure to find help in a hurry.
Let's take a look at their options:
Josh McCown, Browns
The Browns have made it crystal clear that every veteran on the roster is available for the right price. The 37-year-old McCown might be the best passer on this list, bringing a fair amount of starting experience and veteran savvy. He was hardly the problem in Cleveland last season, playing adequately over eight starts. Durability has been an issue with McCown, but the Vikings, if interested, have a pair of third-round picks in 2017 along with two fourths. One of those selections might be enough to sway Browns front-office leader Sashi Brown.
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers
He's an obvious player to name here -- and Kaepernick could use a fresh start. His refusal to stand during the national anthem might turn off some teams, but the Vikings should be more concerned with the noticeable lack of arm strength Kaepernick displayed in Friday's preseason game. He brings mobility and unusual athleticism to the position, but we haven't seen the one-time Super Bowl passer make a promising start in many moons.
Mark Sanchez, Broncos
We already know that Denver is willing to part ways with the dangerously milquetoast Sanchez. The former Jets castoff is a known quantity, but is he an upgrade over Hill? Sanchez just lost the Denver job to Trevor Siemian, a human 95 percent of fans had never heard of six months ago. Still, Sanchez has 72 career starts under his belt and reached back-to-back AFC title games with a Jets club that ran the ball well and beat up opponents with a suffocating defense. That's this year's Vikings.
Geno Smith, Jets
The Jets could be convinced to part ways with Smith, who feels like poisoned goods in Florham Park. With Ryan Fitzpatrick embedded as New York's starter and newbies Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg in tow, Gang Green general manager Mike Maccagnan could actually bring clarity to the position by parting with Smith. We don't see this as a top move for Minnesota, though, largely because of Geno's suspect play and less-than-stellar track record as a locker-room leader.
EJ Manuel, Bills
Bills brass continue to say all the right things about Manuel, but the undercooked first-rounder remains one of Buffalo's ghastliest draft-day blunders. With rookie Cardale Jones also behind starter Tyrod Taylor, the Bills might consider moving Manuel, although that would present the Vikings with a thorny dilemma: EJ isn't good at football.
Mike Glennon, Bucs
Tampa Bay sounds content to keep Glennon around as a sturdy backup option. With nobody else but Ryan Griffin listed behind Jameis Winston, the Bucs themselves are an injury away from comprehensive disaster. Glennon, however, would give the Vikings an intriguing young passer and potential long-term backup for Bridgewater. Convincing Tampa to play ball won't be easy.
Mike Vick, free agent
Just putting him here for kicks, fam.
Austin Davis, free agent
Shaun Hill, Minnesota's current backup
Instead of trading for a risky, flawed passer off someone else's roster, why not go with a risky, flawed veteran who already knows the playbook? Hill lacks the name value of a Kaepernick or Sanchez, but he offers the Vikings a smooth transition -- at least in terms of game preparation. Along with the rest of this group, Hill -- who hasn't started since 2014 -- is a stark reminder of how hard it is to find an emergency starting quarterback in late August.
