The Minnesota Vikings were reportedly a big topic of discussion at the NFL combine, because one team wanted their starting QB.
Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins was a topic of discussion during this year’s NFL scouting combine. As per Mike Florio, there was talk about a potential Vikings-49ers trade centered around Cousins.
“Apparently, at the scouting combine, there was some chatter, there was some noise, among people within the broader league structure, not the media, but people in the league about Cousins being traded to the 49ers,” Florio said. “That was a hot topic at one point in Indianapolis.”
“Cousins has been linked to San Francisco from the moment Kyle Shanahan became the head coach,” Florio wrote.
“Kyle served as offensive coordinator in Washington when Kyle and his father, Mike, drafted Cousins in 2012. And Kyle has admitted that he planned to sign Cousins in 2018, with the 2017 trade for Jimmy Garoppolo derailing that intention.”
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan was on his father Mike’s staff when Washington drafted Cousins in 2012. Cousins has been linked to the 49ers ever since Shanahan got to the Bay Area, but nothing has ever happened.
An already built-in relationship between Cousins and Shanahan could benefit the Niners if something could be done. However, the Vikings ended up restructuring Cousins’ contract to free up $16 million in cap space. He is eligible to become a free agent after this season.
In the meantime, the 49ers signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, and he now joins Brock Purdy and Trey Lance in the 2023 quarterback room.
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The 49ers have big question marks at the QB position, with Purdy recovering from a torn UCL and Lance nearly missing all of last season with a broken right ankle. Jimmy Garoppolo is gone after he signed a deal to play for the Las Vegas Raiders, and it’s unclear who will be QB1 in 2023.
Cousins could have filled that role and excelled in it with the team that would be built around him.
For now, though, the 34-year-old Cousins is entering his sixth season in Minnesota, where he led the Vikings to an NFC North title and 13-4 record last year.
