Minnesota sports fans have a particular aversion to seeing their former stars succeed elsewhere. Whether it’s due to natural fan anxiety, a lack of sports self-esteem, or the fear of missing out—like when David Ortiz left—Minnesotans cringe when one of their own flourishes after leaving. Think David Ortiz, Kevin Garnett, Randy Moss. The list could go on, but let’s stop there to avoid further aggravation.

So why are Vikings fans so silent about Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter? It’s true that neither has yet achieved anything significant with their new teams. They’ve also been replaced by first-round draft picks that embody the hope of a brighter future. J.J. McCarthy was quickly hailed as a future star after one impressive preseason game, only to suffer a knee injury that will sideline him for the 2024 season. Dallas Turner, meanwhile, is a promising pass rusher. Investing emotionally in McCarthy and Turner offers fans an optimistic outlook for the Vikings’ future.

But as the new season approaches, Vikings fans might need to brace themselves for a scenario where Kirk Cousins becomes a top-10 quarterback on a playoff-bound team, Hunter emerges as a defensive force for a leading franchise, and the Vikings soon realize how much they miss their former stars.

Judging by the usual gauges of fan sentiment—social media, emails, and face-to-face conversations—Vikings fans were quick to dismiss Cousins and have long been resigned to the idea of Hunter’s departure. Cousins spent six seasons with the Vikings, joining after the team made it to the NFC Championship Game. He led them to the playoffs twice, winning one game in which Saints quarterback Drew Brees seemed unable to throw beyond the line of scrimmage.

Yes, Cousins was overpaid, and based on the team’s performance, one could argue he was overrated. The most telling moment of his Vikings career, and perhaps his entire career, came when he opted to check down to tight end T.J. Hockenson on fourth down during a home playoff game against the mediocre New York Giants. Hockenson didn’t reach the first-down marker, ending a 13-win season.

But even at his worst, Cousins was better than Sam Darnold, particularly in the key areas of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense: intelligence and accuracy. Darnold might be a better athlete, but he hasn’t proven he can handle the season-long challenges posed by opposing defensive coordinators, nor has he ever matched Cousins’ accuracy. Given Cousins’ injuries and the team’s disappointing 2023 season, it became easier to part ways with him, especially since he seemed ready to move on. However, it’s worth noting that Cousins was never more successful than he was under O’Connell in 2022, and he played spectacularly when healthy in 2023. In his final three starts before a season-ending Achilles injury, Cousins led the Vikings to victories at Chicago, against the 49ers, and at Green Bay—all without Justin Jefferson.

I never saw Cousins as the ideal franchise quarterback, but his level of production will be difficult to replace.

The lack of concern over Hunter’s departure is even more puzzling. Had he stayed in Minnesota, he would have climbed the ranks of the Vikings’ all-time sack leaders—a prestigious list. Last year, he recorded a career-high 16.5 sacks while adapting to Brian Flores’ defense. Despite contract disputes, Hunter never aired his grievances publicly. Known for his intense workouts and physical prowess, he was a beloved teammate and consistently gave maximum effort. Yet somehow, whispers of “injury concerns” emerged, suggesting that he wasn’t a long-term priority for the team during contract negotiations. In eight seasons, he missed fewer than 14 games only once and played all 17 games in each of the past two seasons.

I’ll certainly miss watching Hunter play, and I suspect that by midseason, many Vikings fans will start to miss Cousins too.