NFL analyst pitches Kirk Cousins to Jets trade with Vikings falling to 0-2 - “Screw that first-round draft pick”
Kirk Cousins had a mixed performance on Thursday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Minnesota Vikings fell behind early and stayed there for the duration of the game.
The final score was close, but those who watched the game know that the score was misleading. After an 0-2 start and a Week 3 matchup against the LA Chargers looming, it's getting late early in Minnesota.
As such, one NFL analyst has put Kirk Cousins' name forward for a blockbuster mid-season trade to the New York Jets. The Jets are in win-now mode, and with Aaron Rodgers out for the season, they may go all-in.
Here's how NFL analyst Bart Scott put it on "Get Up" on Friday:
"You got to throw that first in. They won't turn it down. 'Are we all in? Then screw that first round draft pick.' If [they're] all in and we think [if we get] Kirk Cousins, we become a Super Bowl contender again, is it not worth the first round draft pick? They're probably going to be in the twenties if Kirk Cousins comes and plays at a high level."
In other words, the New York Jets, in his mind, would jump into playoff contention with the move. Scott feels the Vikings season is in trouble, and they would consider a rebuild. Compounding that is the fact that Cousins is in the final year of his contract, so Minnesota might consider trading him.
Of course, it's a gamble because if Cousins were not to be the savior, they'd be forking over a top-tier pick.
Kirk Cousins and the Vikings are 0-2 and already in postseason peril
Heading into the year, many believed the Vikings, with Justin Jefferson on the roster, were among the teams set to take over the NFC. Last season, Minnesota went 13-4. This year, in a five-day stretch, they've already 0-2.
Aside from January, September might be the most analyzed month in the sport. At this point, the statistics circulating allow some indication of where teams will go in the following years.
Basically, teams rebound from a 0-1 start to reach the playoffs on a yearly basis. 0-2 starts making the postseason are a rarer occurrence, but they do happen often enough.
However, a 0-3 start gives a team a 99 percent chance of missing the playoffs. Of course, with an extra team now available to reach the postseason, this may be more achievable than in the past, but it's a tough road ahead.
As it stands, the Minnesota Vikings are officially underdogs to play a playoff game in January. They face the LA Chargers in Week 3, with the fixture already looking like a must-win.