If the Minnesota Vikings were to move on from Kirk Cousins some time in the near future, this offseason may be the best time to do so. In such a scenario, it may not necessarily help the Vikes contend right away under their new regime, but it could put them on a more prosperous path long-term by getting out from under his contract.
One of the teams who could have a great amount of interest in adding Cousins to their team, with the $45 million cap hit and all, is the Carolina Panthers. They’ve even reportedly already called new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah about a potential trade.
Here are three Kirk Cousins to the Carolina Panthers trade scenarios that could come to fruition later this offseason.
Kirk Cousins to Carolina Panthers in salary dump
- Minnesota Vikings get: 6th pick, 2023 2nd-round pick
- Carolina Panthers get: Kirk Cousins, 12th pick
One of the ways of thinking for the Minnesota Vikings, if they seek to clear cap space, basically in an effort to help them compete in the near future is to dump the contract of Kirk Cousins this offseason.
This would allow the Vikings to clear up to $35 million in cap space, to which they could re-allocate to address other roster needs.
- Kirk Cousins contract (2022): $35 million guaranteed, $10 million bonus = $45M cap hit
Each year teams do their due diligence on the incoming quarterback prospects and it could just be that the Vikings have a great interest in one of the top QBs available via the draft. If that’s the case, the Vikings would be better off washing their hands of Cousins right now and propping up the roster around their new rookie quarterback, whoever that may be.
Related: 4 ideal offseason Kirk Cousins trade destinations
Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings swap quarterbacks
- Minnesota Vikings get: Sam Darnold, 6th pick
- Carolina Panthers get: Kirk Cousins
Whether the Vikings draft a quarterback in April or not, adding Sam Darnold shouldn’t be completely ruled out. Of course the first reaction is, he’s not a franchise quarterback, what’s the point?
Upon further inspection, Darnold has never been in a desirable situation. In Carolina, Darnold was thriving when Christian McCaffrey was healthy, but once he went down, all hell broke loose. Just like Cousins and many other NFL quarterbacks, Sammy D needs a strong supporting cast to thrive. He’s simply never had it.
- Sam Darnold contract (2022): $18.6 million fully guaranteed
Playing in Minnesota, Darnold would immediately have a No. 1 WR, a electric running back who can make defenders miss in space and hopefully an improved offensive line, using some of the cap savings from moving from Cousins to Darnold. It’s the same line of thinking the Panthers had when trading a 2nd and 4th round pick for the signal-caller a season ago.
Even if Darnold bombs once again, the Vikings still will have 2021 third-round pick Kellen Mond ready to go, finally giving Vikings fans their chance at seeing a different QB under center.
Related: 3 NFL teams viewed as ‘most likely’ trade partners for Kirk Cousins
Vikings, Panthers, Lions swap QBs
- Minnesota Vikings get: Jared Goff, 2023 first-round pick from CAR
- Carolina Panthers get: Kirk Cousins
- Detroit Lions get: Sam Darnold, 77th pick from MIN
We’re gonna get crazy here, but just like the previous trades, there’s some reason behind the mania.
To be fair, none of the Lions, Panthers or Vikings have gotten what they want out of their starting quarterbacks. The Lions may not be ready to admit it, since they’re in no situation to compete any time soon, but Goff won’t be the one who takes them to the promised land.
For the Vikings, landing the starting quarterback from a division foe such as the Lions in a straight-up deal may be unrealistic since teams rarely complete inner-division trades for impact players such as a starting quarterback. But, they also just hired Kevin O’Connell, who spent 2020 as the Rams offensive coordinator, paired with Goff.
It was by no means his best season, but they at least have a familiarity with one another. Not to mention, Goff was the No. 1 overall pick for a reason, he’s also already been to a Super Bowl. It’s not like he’s a bad quarterback, he just isn’t among the top-10 right now.
Jared Goff contract (2022): $30.5M cap number, can be traded in 2023 with just $10M dead money
A trade like this wouldn’t set the Vikings on a better path per se, as Goff is still under contract through 2024, receiving roughly $30 million per season. It essentially locks them into another long-term bloated salary for a player who doesn’t meet his contract value. Yet, there is some hope that O’Connell can help try and get Goff pointed back on the right path.
From 2017 to 2018, Goff appeared to be on the path to becoming an elite QB, then something happened. It may have simply been his confidence getting shattered from losing in the Super Bowl. Since then, we haven’t seen Goff perform up to the same standards he himself set years ago. There’s some untapped potential in there, we just don’t know where it’s hiding.
If the Vikings could pick up additional compensation, they just might feel like the $15 million or so in cap savings, going from Cousins to Goff is worth it. The front office, currently believed to be in negotiation with Cousins on his next contract would weigh the value of paying Cousins more, or trying to prop up a better team around Goff.
Why would such a trade appeal to the Lions? They can start fresh at the quarterback position and maybe even consider a trade down in April’s draft to land the top QB on their draft board while Darnold plays out the final year of his contract in Detroit.
It may not be the dream scenario for any of the three teams heading into the offseason, but it’s a potential solution to set each team on a better path in the long run.
Related: Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock draft