The Vikings find themselves at a crossroads with franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins, who is due a mammoth $45-million cap hit in 2022, which happens to be his final year under contract. Some in the know have suggested Cousins could be traded this offseason, though it’s hard to see that happening without the 33-year-old accepting a substantial pay cut. Another factor to consider is Minnesota’s recent hiring of coach Kevin O’Connell, whose relationship with Cousins (O’Connell was his position coach in Washington) is arguably what got him the job.
Cousins is viewed by most as an above-average NFL starter and could be had at a fraction of the cost of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson, assuming the Vikings are open to trading him. According to Judd Zulgad, a former Vikings beat reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, at least one team has already called to gauge Cousins’ availability. That team was the Carolina Panthers, who were told the Vikings have no plans to move Cousins, at least for the moment.
“From what I’ve heard, it went nowhere,” Zulgad confirmed on Monday’s episode of the Purple Daily podcast. “The Vikings supposedly said, ‘Hey, let’s put a pin in that conversation.”
Cousins, for all his flaws, would be a sizable upgrade on Carolina’s current QB1 Sam Darnold, who struggled mightily in his debut season for the Panthers, committing 17 turnovers (13 interceptions, four lost fumbles) in only 12 games while briefly being benched for Cam Newton. Time is of the essence for embattled coach Matt Rhule, who will likely need a breakthrough season to maintain his job beyond 2022.
Carolina could be in a position to address quarterback with the sixth pick in April’s NFL Draft. Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder and Malik Willis stand as the top prospects in what is thought to be a relatively weak quarterback class.
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