Kirk Cousins Lands in a Familiar AFC Spot via CBS Sports’ QB Carousel Predictions
NFL free agency is two weeks away, and the Minnesota Vikings must find cap space to field a competitive team in 2022, a tricky task when the quarterback is slated to incur a $45 million cap hit. As a result, Kirk Cousins will likely be extended in a manner similar to 2020 when former general manager Rick Spielman retained Cousins for a few more years while spreading his contractual earnings over multiple seasons.
But Spielman no longer works for the organization. New general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could trade Cousins, creating $35 million in cap space and eating a dead cap sum of $10 million. Some fans want Cousins to stay and possibly flourish inside a Kevin O’Connell regime, whereas a section of the fanbase is ready to be finished with the 33-year-old quarterback. The topic is divisive, so is the player.
Should Adofo-Mensah receive an “offer he can’t refuse” — which is likely what it will take for the organization to offload a passer who accounts for 4,000+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns per season like the sun rises — everybody seemingly has a prediction for Cousins’ next landing spot.
For CBS Sports, that new home for Cousins is the Denver Broncos, a theory laid out in detail already this offseason.
The man in charge out in the mountains is George Paton, a lieutenant to Spielman for several seasons with the Vikings. Paton knows Cousins. The Broncos, alas, need a consistent quarterback. Paton has money to spend with his salary cap. And the Vikings could be shopping Cousins. It adds up.
Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports predicted all quarterback carousel movement for the offseason, with men like Teddy Bridgewater ending up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Derek Carr to the Indianapolis Colts, Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders, etc. And for Benjamin’s forecast on Cousins — it’s Denver:
“Denver is ready to compete now. They have a run game, offensive line, receiving corps and defense built to make a playoff run. All they need is an established QB. With the pipe dream of a Rodgers relocation put to rest, Cousins is the best alternative. General manager George Paton was the Vikings‘ assistant GM when Minnesota signed and extended Cousins with big money. And the Vikings, despite new coach Kevin O’Connell’s enthusiasm, will be happy to dump at least a portion of his massive $45 million 2022 cap hit, perhaps eating some extra cash in exchange for a high draft pick.“
– Cody Benjamin | CBS Sports
VikingsTerritory does not believe Cousins will be traded — chiefly because the coaching staff assembled has ties to Cousins and the QB1 topic must’ve come up during the job interview — yet, if the team received a glowing offer, anything is possible.
And should that glowing offer be sent from Colorado, Cousins to Denver absolutely makes sense. When the Broncos won a Super Bowl in 2015, the quarterback play was atrocious. Peyton Manning threw nine touchdowns to 17 interceptions that season. Denver’s defense was the sole proprietor of the championship. Manning retired afterward, and Denver has found zero signal-callers to lock down the position in six seasons.
Cousins would lock down the position — emphatically. His consistency from season to season is his signature. He’s the only active quarterback to throw 25+ touchdown passes in seven consecutive seasons. The closest player to this mark is Russell Wilson at five such seasons.
Denver’s roster is only missing a quarterback. They’ve got the personnel on defense, the playmakers on offense, and decent special teams.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”928532″ player=”26279″ title=”4%20ideal%20offseason%20Kirk%20Cousins%20trade%20destinations” duration=”81″ description=”It’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to start making plans for the future, one that includes a 2022 offseason with a Kirk Cousins trade and an organizational reset after another disappointing season.Cousins will enter 2022 in a contract year, a position he and the Vikings are very familiar with. While the 33-year-old quarterback is playing at a high level, it’s evident he and the Vikings aren’t close to competing for the NFC North title or a Super Bowl.With that in mind, we examine the best Kirk Cousins trades that would benefit both the star quarterback and his teams.” uploaddate=”2021-12-22″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/928494_s_1640136316410.jpg” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/928494/928494.m3u8″]
The Broncos are a Cousins away from finally reaching the postseason again. Playoff football is arid in Denver.
The Vikings probably won’t trade Cousins, but if they do, circle the Broncos as the frontrunner for his services.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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