Unlike past years, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ trade stock seems to be through the roof. With Aaron Rodgers appearing more likely to return to the Green Bay Packers with every passing day, Cousins has emerged as a top trade prospect at quarterback.
CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin proposed 13 quarterback moves and has Cousins joining the Denver Broncos, who find themselves ready to make a run.
“Denver is ready to compete now. They have a run game, offensive line, receiving corps and defense built to make a playoff run. All they need is an established QB. With the pipe dream of a Rodgers relocation put to rest, Cousins is the best alternative.
And the Vikings, despite new coach Kevin O’Connell’s enthusiasm, will be happy to dump at least a portion of his massive $45 million 2022 cap hit, perhaps eating some extra cash in exchange for a high draft pick.”
A potential trade could net the Vikings the No. 9 overall pick in the draft from Denver. Paired with Minnesota’s No. 12 pick, it allows the Vikings to make moves all over the draft board.
Benjamin then suggested the Vikings make a move for a budget bridge quarterback for the 2022 season and pending free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston.
“New coach Kevin O’Connell would probably prefer Kirk Cousins, but the Vikings are under new management at an inflection point. By offloading Cousins’ massive deal rather than extending him, they could delay a real QB reset until 2023, when O’Connell will have a chance to choose his own guy,” Benjamin wrote. “In the meantime, with second-year man Kellen Mond still developing, Winston could give O’Connell and new coordinator Wes Phillips some of the downfield action they got with the Rams — a big arm capable of feeding Justin Jefferson.”
Winston would be a helluva lot cheaper than Cousins at $45 million. The veteran QB threw for over 5,000 yards 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Winston is coming off an abbreviated season for the New Orleans Saints, where he went 5-2, throwing 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions in a game manager role before suffering a torn ACL.
He showed better decision-making in limited action and is poised to take that next step.
