Kirk Cousins' latest COVID absence gave Kellen Mond, Sean Mannion and all of Vikings Nation an extended invitation to ramp up the consideration of the team's backup quarterback battle. Sifting through all the noise and nonsense, we are left with these truths after Sunday's 26-20 Vikings preseason loss to the Raiders:
- The backup QB probably doesn't matter. Cousins has only missed two starts in the last seven seasons, and one of them was in 2019 when the Vikings had nothing to play for in the season finale. His highly publicized absence from the Green Bay game last season dashed any faint hope of a playoff berth, but overall he is a durable, above-average quarterback and any replacement would be a step down.