Inside The Vikings

Vikings QB latest: Could Minnesota be waiting to trade for Kirk Cousins?

It's not impossible, but there are several reasons why the Vikings trading for Cousins feels quite unlikely.

Will Ragatz

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talk after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talk after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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When it comes to the Vikings' quarterback situation, the Aaron Rodgers speculation (at least for now) has joined its predecessor, Sam Darnold speculation, as a thing of the past.

So, because it's the NFL offseason and rumors rule all, let's move on to the next buzzy name. What about a reunion with Kirk Cousins?

Cousins remains on the Falcons' roster and had a $10 million 2026 guarantee go into effect this past weekend. But he's the clear No. 2 behind Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta, which means he might still end up getting traded at some point. The Vikings are moving forward with J.J. McCarthy as their QB1, so they can't offer Cousins a starting role, but he's very familiar with the organization and could view it as a preferable situation if he's going to be a backup in 2025.

ESPN's Adam Schefter fanned those flames on a recent episode of his podcast.

"How about this? Minnesota lost out on Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones," Schefter said. "There's not an obvious solution. What if Minnesota just waits around until the 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, right?

"And maybe the Vikings can wait it out. The Falcons have been determined not to release him. 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 No. 2, J.J.'s coming off the injury, you still don't know what you're gonna have, let's solidify the position with Kirk Cousins. Doesn't that make sense?"

On paper, it at least makes a little bit of sense, sure. However, there are also a bunch of reasons why it probably isn't going to happen.

For one, everything Cousins has said this offseason indicates he wants to go somewhere with a chance to be a starting quarterback next season. That's not happening in Minnesota unless McCarthy gets hurt. Based on what happens in the draft, a team like the Browns could be a much more desirable landing spot for Cousins, who would have to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate any deal.

Then there's the matter of Cousins' contract — the four-year, $180 million deal he got from Atlanta last offseason. The Falcons will have to eat a ton of dead money if they trade Cousins, but there's still the matter of his $27.5 million 2025 base salary. What the trade compensation looks like on a hypothetical Cousins deal would depend on how much of that salary the Falcons are willing to eat (and thus how much of it the acquiring team takes on).

If a new team takes on all or most of that salary, you'd probably be talking about the Falcons sending that team a draft pick to sweeten the pot. If the Falcons eat most of the $27.5 million, they could probably a get a pick back for Cousins. It's unclear if either option would make sense for the Vikings, who presumably won't want to take on a big salary number for a backup quarterback OR part with a pick to land Cousins.

Ultimately, it seems unlikely that Cousins will wind up back in Minnesota this offseason. But in the NFL, you truly never know.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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