Vikings name Cousins starting QB
NFL
Quarterback Kirk Cousins will start for the Minnesota Vikings in Sunday’s game at Green Bay, coach Kevin O’Connell said Friday.
The start comes only five days after Minnesota reacquired Cousins from the Las Vegas Raiders.
O’Connell said the 38-year-old Cousins impressed players and coaches with his ability to quickly readjust to the Vikings’ offense.
“I cannot give him enough credit for coming in here, how he’s gone about the week, both him and the coaching staff, getting him ready to go,” Minnesota beat the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday with an agreement to send their 2027 third-round draft pick to the Raiders in exchange for Cousins.
Cousins will try to help the Vikings (6-2) end a two-game losing streak and complete a regular-season sweep of the Green Bay Packers (6-3).
Chiefs
Kansas City running back Kenneth Walker III missed practice Friday with a sore groin, leaving his status in question for this weekend’s trip to Atlanta, while wide receiver Josh Downs intends to play days after he was acquired in a trade with Indianapolis.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Walker had “tweaked” his groin and that the team would monitor him leading into Sunday.
“We’ll see. He’s not one to say something like that (without meaning it),” Reid said.
Walker has run for 872 yards in his first season with Kansas City, leaving him just eight yards behind Bijan Robinson for the NFL lead, though he has played one game fewer than the Falcons running back.
Jets
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson is close to clearing the concussion protocol and coach Aaron Glenn expects to have him in the lineup Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Wilson missed the Jets’ game last Sunday at Kansas City after he injured his head during a game against Las Vegas two weeks ago. The star receiver was listed as questionable on the injury report Friday but was a full participant at practice for the first time since he entered the protocol.
Jaguars
Jacksonville defensive tackle Jordan Davis and safety Jessie Bates III, both acquired via trades this week, won’t play at Tennessee on Sunday.
Coach Liam Coen made the announcement, saying Davis and Bates will get the weekend off primarily because neither has had a bye week.
“Want to be able to make sure that we’re (taking into account) player safety, putting them in a position to succeed, learn the system and just give those guys a week to be able to do that,” Coen said.
Jacksonville (6-2) swapped two draft picks for each player a day before Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Jaguars already had their bye and close the season with nine consecutive games.
Commanders
After a troubled year for “The Bachelor” franchise, the ABC reality dating show is going back to a familiar well: the NFL. The network announced Friday that Sam Hartman, a quarterback for the Washington Commanders, will be handing out roses on the 30th season of the show.
Season 30 will premiere March 21.
Hartman, 27, is a member of the Commanders’ practice squad and has yet to play a regular-season game.
Hartman, a Charlotte, North Carolina, native played college football at Wake Forest and Notre Dame.
Patriots
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back Rhamondre Stevenson have looked “pretty good” in practice, coach Mike Vrabel said before both players were listed as questionable for the game against the Detroit Lions in Munich.
Brown is dealing with ankle and knee issues, and Stevenson is trying to overcome a knee injury in time for Sunday’s game.
Vrabel, speaking to the media at Bayern Munich’s facilities before practice, was asked to gauge Brown and Stevenson’s progress.
“Based on yesterday I think pretty good,” the coach said. “Again, still have to go through today and see where that goes.”