The Vikings have one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. The team currently has a 6-7 record to show for it.
Minnesota may need to shake up the roster and prepare for the long term if this season doesn’t end well. That may include getting out of Kirk Cousins’ contract, despite his stellar play this year.
Pro Football Focus has a suggestion. Brad Spielberger of PFF broke down realistic trades for notable quarterbacks who could be on the move this offseason. Cousins’ realistic trade idea involves the Steelers: Minnesota gets a 2022 first, 2023 second for their starting quarterback, and the Vikings incur a dead money hit of $10 million.
Spielberger wrote:
“This may seem a bit crazy, given that Cousins is PFF’s fourth-highest-graded passer (86.1), but if Minnesota ownership elects to move on from head coach Mike Zimmer and start over, trading Cousins is the quickest means to turn things around in a hurry. A decision must be made this offseason one way or the other because Cousins is entering the final year of his contract, which carries a fully guaranteed $35 million salary. After receiving two franchise tags with the Washington Football Team, Cousins has effectively become untaggable for the remainder of his career.”
Cousins is a good quarterback, but is he the quarterback for the Vikings? That remains to be seen. Cousins and the rest of the Minnesota roster has a great chance to prove the naysayers wrong if they can close out the regular season strong and make a run in the playoffs.