Kirk Cousins landing spots: 5 teams that should aggressively target Vikings QB
Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings are treading water this season with a 1-4 record after five weeks. This is expected to be his last season with the team before his contract expires. But given his salary commitments and that the Vikings might be better off to target the future, it might be a wise decision to move on from him given their current standing.
So, the Vikings could let other teams target their quarterback and get some picks in return to start their rebuild early. There is an added complication, though, that Kirk Cousins has a reported no-trade clause in his contract, which means he will have to sign off on any place they are looking to go to.
Here are some of the options he could look at.
Kirk Cousins potential trade destinations
#1 - New England Patriots
38-3 and 34-0. These are the last two losses in the New England Patriot's column. Head coach Bill Belichick has never had a season like this in his history and they sit at 1-4 and bottom of the AFC East. The media is abuzz with declaring him a failure of a coach without Tom Brady.
These are dire straits for the coach, who is also the general manager in the organization. He deserves to go out on his own terms but there is no owner who will tolerate constant mediocrity. They even missed the playoffs last year.
Now, when a team is this bad, there are no easy fixes. But the most consequential position on any football team is the quarterback. Mac Jones is not cutting it at this point. Getting Kirk Cousins would give Bill Belichick a pocket passer in the mold of Tom Brady and he can get rebuilding and retooling.
He had previously got Cam Newton when Brady left but the former Carolina Panthers quarterback was at the end of his powers and was a dual-threat quarterback very different to the GOAT. And Mac Jones never had a chance to learn behind a more senior quarterback and refine his game. Getting Kirk Cousins allows the young quarterbacks like Jones and Bailey Zappe time to sit and learn from him, while Bill Belichick can plan to rescue his legacy.
#2 - Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have one of the most passionate coaches in the league in Mike Vrabel. He could easily be achieving what Dan Campbell is doing this season with the Detroit Lions. He has a star receiver in DeAndre Hopkins and arguably the best running back in the NFL in Derrick Henry.
But the Ryan Tannehill situation is a quandary. He has two touchdowns and five interceptions this season. They are bottom of the AFC South but one game away from the division leaders. Getting someone like Kirk Cousins now will make sense so that they can salvage the season and target the postseason. It was just a couple of seasons ago that they were the top seeds in the conference.
Kirk Cousins and Tannehill are the same age but the Vikings incumbent is still a much better quarterback at this time. Cousins' passer rating is 101.7 this season and he has 13 touchdowns. He will be a significant investment for the coming couple of seasons and then they can pass the baton on to the younger backups like Malik Willis and Will Levis, who can learn the system behind him.
#3 - New York Jets
As we mentioned, Kirk Cousins has a no-trade clause. He might want to go to a team that gives him a legitimate chance at winning a Super Bowl. The New York Jets are definitely that team. They got Aaron Rodgers in the offseason precisely for that reason.
But the former Green Bay Packers quarterback tore his Achilles in the first game and is quite probably out for the whole season. Zach Wilson has underwhelmed and led them to a 2-3 record. In his last two games, he has been a bit better against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos, but even he cannot believe he can lead them to the Super Bowl.
While Rodgers is recovering, getting Kirk Cousins just for this season makes sense. It ensures that the Jets do not waste the window they are in to make a run for the Lombardi Trophy. He gets to go along for a ride as well and possible crown his career with a ring that every player wants.
#4 - Washington Commanders
Kirk Cousins spent 2012 to 2017 with in Washington before moving to the Minnesota Vikings. Since then, the Commanders have failed to achieve stability in the quarterback position in recent years. Sam Howell might eventually come good but he is not making waves in a division that includes the mighty Philadelphia Eagles. He has thrown six touchdowns and six interceptions and has a passer rating of 86.0.
Kirk Cousins could return to the team that drafted him and play out his closing years. Ron Rivera has been trying to get a stable player at that position for years and lamented the fact last season when Carson Wentz was not delivering on his promise. They can still be competitive and usurp the faltering Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants in that division. But they need a quarterback to make it work. The Vikings player could be the ideal man for this position.
#5 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Tomlin is a magician of a coach. In a tough league, he has never had a losing season. But his last two seasons, he has had to pull out of every ounce of nous from his wisdom to ensure they keep winning. Kenny Pickett might yet be the future but, as a rookie thrown in from last season, he has struggled. He has a career passer rating of 77.3 and in 18 games so far that he has played, he just has 12 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions.
It also does not help, like is the case with Mac Jones with the New England Patriots, that he is replacing a club legend like Ben Roethlisberger. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a great history of developing players. But in this case, getting someone like Kirk Cousins for the last few years of his career will allow Kenny Pickett to learn behind a veteran and give both coach Tomlin and the quarterback a serious chance to make the playoffs.