After a less than ideal experience in Atlanta, maybe Cousins would like to return to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings have been linked to Aaron Rodgers since Sam Darnold left the team for the Seahawks in free agency. While the Vikings would likely be Rodgers’ first choice, as the team offers him the best opportunity to get to the Super Bowl in the next two years, it’s still unknown how serious Minnesota is about the veteran quarterback
If the Vikings ultimately decide not to bring Rodgers in, NFL insider Adam Schefter has another idea for the team.
“How about this? Minnesota lost out on Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones. There’s not an obvious solution. What if Minnesota just waits around until after the draft and then somehow figures out a way for Kirk Cousins to get to Minnesota as the backup to J.J. McCarthy. Wouldn’t that make some sense?” Schefter said on his podcast, via The Purple Persuasion on X.
It makes some sense. But not all that much. Cousins could stay where he is and be a backup. The Falcons benched Cousins in favor of Michael Penix Jr. last season, despite handing him a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million fully guaranteed months earlier.
Would the Vikings bring back Kirk Cousins?
Making matters more complicated for this Vikings' plan is the fact that Atlanta doesn’t really seem all that interested in trading Cousins. The Falcons have not engaged in trade talks and seem content to keep the veteran QB as a backup plan for Penix.
“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, ‘You know what, it’s worth it for us, we’ll give you a sixth-round draft pick.’ They haven’t solved the number two, J.J.’s coming off the injury, you still don’t know what you’re going to have. Let’s solidify the position with Kirk Cousins. Doesn’t that make sense?” Schefter added.
Again, it sort of does. Cousins, of course, wants out of Atlanta. And most of all he wants to play. He could get that opportunity with the Vikings as J.J. McCarthy is still recovering from the season-ending knee injury he sustained in training camp last year. But if Cousins goes to Minnesota, he could well end up in the same position he was in with the Falcons. McCarthy could end up replacing him mid season, relegating him to the bench.
The Vikings have been taking their time mulling a move to get Rodgers in free agency. Whether the team is really interested in the future Hall of Famer is unclear. But it does seem apparent that Minnesota wants to add a veteran quarterback in case McCarthy isn’t ready to go in September. It's just hard to imagine that veteran will be Cousins.
