There has been an ongoing debate as to whether Kirk Cousins will be returning for a fifth season in Minneapolis. The now 11-year pro is in year four of his tenure with Minnesota and the first of what was a two-year extension. From a numbers side of things, Cousins is very good as he was playing at an MVP level through 11 weeks this season before falling off as of late.
However, the only thing that matters in the NFL is wins and for whatever reason Cousins has never had the wins to back up those stats. Whether it is bad luck, play calling or some underlying mystery that is unidentified, Cousins has never been able to deliver consistently despite what the numbers say. With the Vikings season on the line this week in Green Bay, Cousins tested positive for COVID earlier in the week and was thus ruled out for the game leaving Sean Mannion in to start.
We saw how that went and now Minnesota is out of the playoffs because of it. A lot of fans are blaming him for last night considering how he was unvaccinated, but even those with the vaccine can get COVID so that point is invalid. If last nights game did show us anything, it is that life without Cousins will be rough for Minnesota unless they figure something out fast. That leaves us to the next question, Does Cousins return for next season?
With 41 million dollars owed to him next year, I find it very unlikely that he returns unless some sort of contract restructure or an extension is given to alleviate some of the salary burden. Even with that, you may see the Vikings move on from him as that could ultimately be the direction this team is heading especially if a new head coach is set to arrive in Minnesota.
This will be one of the biggest story lines to follow this offseason and something that will determine not only the short-term success of the Vikings, but also the long-term success. Here are three potential options that the Vikings can look at if they move on from Cousins.
Free Agent Market: The option would be to pursue the free agent market as cutting Cousins would save them 31 million in cash. However, there are not too many names that you would trust to lead your franchise long-term. Ryan Fitzpatrick is not only aging, but coming off an injury as is Jameis Winston so those two seem out of the mix.
Dak Prescott is an intriguing name to follow and would be a great replacement, but look for Dallas to ink him long-term taking him off the market. Outside of that, you really don’t have a ton of choices as Mitch Trubisky and Marcus Marriota may be your best options. If the Vikings do go the Free Agent route, Marriota makes a little bit more sense as he will not only come at a cheaper cost, but would give the Vikings a dual threat at QB.
Draft a QB: The best way to find a franchise QB, is to draft one and then mold your team around them. The Vikings did that last season by drafting Kellen Mond in the third round, but he has seen four snaps under center this season and is a long way away from being ready. Could Mond be the future? Maybe, but he needs a ton of work which doesn’t happen if Cousins is here.
Unlike last year’s QB class, there is not a standout option that is a first-round talent, but that doesn’t mean talent is not there. Kenny Pickett seems to be a lock to be the first QB taken, but who are some other options that the Vikings could look at past round one. One name that continues to pop up is Carson Strong from the University of Nevada.
Strong may not be a round one talent, but is someone you could nab on day two whether it be in the second or third round. Strong has been great for the Wolfpack for several seasons now, but is coming off a great 2021 campaign where he played in 12 games. Over those 12 games, Strong completed better than 70% of his passes for 4186 yards. 36 TDS and just 8 INT. Add that to his career at Nevada and Strong has complete 68.1% of his passes for 9379 yards, 74 TDS and 19 INT.
Add in his ability to run and he has the potential to be a dual threat QB himself similar to a Josh Allen type of player. Granted the competition Nevada sees is not the best, Mel Kiper Jr still has him rated as the 6th best QB prospect in the draft, but someone with a high upside. That alone could swing Minnesota into drafting a QB two years in a row as they desperately need a franchise leader.
Trade: Once the most logical option is starting to dwindle especially when you look at the Numerical figure attached to Cousins next year. Despite that, expect Minnesota to look at the trade market and perhaps give Cousins to the highest bidder. Where that bidder may come from is a different story, but there are some names to keep an eye on.
Sending Cousins to SF in exchange for Jimmy Garoppolo has been talked about for a few years and may still happen. Jimmy G is making roughly 25 million a year and has taken the 49ers to a Superbowl while having moderate success. The fit seems like a great idea, but Minnesota needs a mobile QB not someone in a similar mold of Cousins.
Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson emerged as candidates last offseason, but given the Watson status I wouldn’t touch him with a 10-foot pole. Mayfield is an intriguing option as we have seen how good he can be with a good running game and great weapons. The problem is his decision making which the Vikings need better out of him for them to give him a shot.
That leaves me with these two names, and both come with reasons why. Derek Carr is one to watch this season especially with everything going on in Vegas. One of the better QBs over the last five years, Carr is having his best season of his career and isn’t talked about at all. He plays a similar style to that of Cousins, but is four years younger and still has plenty of upside. The numbers he is putting up comes without his top two weapons and going to Minnesota with the most weapons he would ever have is a match made in heaven.
The one move that would alter the NFC landscape is if Russell Wilson is indeed done with Seattle and requests a trade. You heard it last offseason about his displeasure and there were reports he was interested in heading to Chicago. Obviously, he stayed in Seattle, but things haven’t gone smoothly there so he could be on the way out.
If that does resurface this offseason, expect Minnesota to not only call, but to see what it would take to get Wilson. Since coming into the league a decade ago, Wilson has been one of the most successful and one of the most underrated QBs in the game. Despite great numbers, a pair of Superbowl appearances and one ring, he has never been in the top five for MVP voting which is a travesty.
Give him the team and the weapons Minnesota has and Wilson will not only be in the top three of the MVP consideration, but could win the award. He is a great leader who knows how to win and has had success working with far less than what Minnesota could offer. The Vikings are one of those teams that have the talent to be as good as anyone in the league. Now it is time to put all the pieces together.