Cousins returns to Vikings quarterback room after quarantine – KIRO 7 News Seattle

EAGAN, Minnesota – (AP) – Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​was activated from the COVID-19 reserve list Thursday after completing the NFL’s required five-day quarantine for unvaccinated players considered to be high-risk close contact classified as an infected person.

The Vikings also activated Nate Stanley, bringing their quarterback roster much closer to full strength after poor training early in training camp. Rookie Kellen Mond, the player who tested positive, stayed on the reserve list and not on the team.

Cousins, Moon and Stanley were sidelined on Saturday so Jake Browning – who is vaccinated – was the only quarterback available for the public session that evening. Danny Etling and Case Cookus were signed on this week to take the strain off Browning with the exercises.

The league’s updated virus logs for 2021 allow vaccinated players to stay on schedule and continue practicing, even if they are in close contact with an infected person, as long as they test negative on their own. Unvaccinated players are subject to the stricter 2020 rules for quarantine, testing, and socializing.

According to one person with knowledge of the data, the Vikings had the lowest percentage (70) of vaccinated players in the NFL on Tuesday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as the team-by-team numbers were not released. The league-wide rate of players who received at least one dose hit the 90% mark earlier this week.

Coach Mike Zimmer has bluntly expressed his frustration with the vaccine refusals not only in the locker room but also in public, with the Delta variant fueling another spike in COVID-19 cases nationwide.

From a competitive standpoint, a fear of suddenly losing the starting quarterback to quarantine rather than injury or illness – and the possibility of a more costly setback in the regular season – is even more angry with cousins ​​and the rest of the team on the team breaking up have decided against the shots.

“I’m tired of talking about vaccinations. I’m out of this business, “said Zimmer on Wednesday. He shouldn’t be available to the media on Thursday.

Cousins ​​has started his 10th year in the NFL, his fourth with the Vikings. His salary cap ($ 31 million) is the second highest in the league this season after Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson. Cousins ​​has a fully guaranteed salary of $ 35 million on the books for 2022, with the salary cap hit by $ 45 million in the last year of his current contract. The Vikings designed moon in the third round.

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