A top NFL insider floated a wild idea this week: Kirk Cousins being traded back to the Minnesota Vikings this offseason.
The Vikings had a huge bounce-back season in year three under head coach Kevin O’Connell. After a 7-10 finish two years ago, they won twice as many games in 2024. What made their success so surprising is that in the previous offseason, they lost star QB Kirk Cousins in NFL free agency, and first-round draft pick JJ McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason.
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However, to the surprise of the entire league, 2018 draft bust Sam Darnold was able to fill that void. In his seventh season in the league and on his fourth team, the former first-round pick was able to reach his potential under O’Connell and had a career year in Minnesota. But just like last offseason, the Vikings lost a Pro Bowl-level QB in free agency.
There has been a ton of speculation on who will start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, McCarthy is the odds-on favorite despite coming off a torn meniscus. However, there has also been discourse Green Bay Packers great Aaron Rodgers could be an option. Well, on Tuesday ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter had a bold idea for a new veteran QB that no one has suggested.
- Kirk Cousins stats (2024): 14 games, 3,508 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 88.6 passer rating
Adam Schefter suggests Minnesota Vikings trade for Kirk Cousins
“How about this? Minnesota lost out on Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones. There’s not an obvious solution. What if Minnesota waits around until after the draft and then somehow figures out a way for Kirk Cousins to get to Minnesota as the backup to JJ McCarthy?” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show.
“Wouldn’t that make some sense? I think the Falcons want to be able to say we got something back for this guy that we paid so much to get. So maybe Minnesota says it’s worth it for us. We’ll give you a sixth-round draft pick.”
- Kirk Cousins contract: Four years, $180 million
After six seasons and three trips to the Pro Bowl, Cousins ditched the Minnesota Vikings for the Atlanta Falcons in free agency last year. He will go down as one of the best QBs in Vikes history. While he looked like a shell of himself after suffering a ruptured Achilles, if anyone could get more out of him it would be O’Connell.
While he would be an expensive backup, he would be the best in the game and the team can get out from under most of his contract after this season.
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