Kirk Cousins Might Now Be Most Coveted QB on Trade Block
The last day for teams to franchise tag players before free agency has passed. One of the franchise tags was Davante Adams. However, all eyes were on the quarterbacks.
The blockbuster trade between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks for Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers announced his return to Green Bay, DeShaun Watson’s trial is moving forward, and Carson Wentz has been traded to the Commanders.
Every year there seems to be a QB carousel, and 2022 is shaping up the same. There was a lot of speculation of Rodgers being traded to the Broncos or Steelers. The same rumors were floating about Russell Wilson, who eventually was traded to the Broncos.
NFL insiders acknowledged that the Washington Commanders made a play to trade for Wilson as well. Those reports were said to be upwards of three 1st-round picks. Although, they settled to trade for Carson Wentz.
What does this mean for the Vikings and Kirk Cousins?
Well, all indications from the team are they would like to work out a long-term deal. However, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah notably said at the combine that all options were on the table. After seeing the results of Wilson’s trade and knowing the Steelers, Panthers, Saints, and now the Colts are still on the hunt for quarterbacks, the possibilities are wide open.
What is Kirk’s Trade Value
Trade value for an NFL player is difficult to measure, especially when talking about the quarterback position. There is a limited supply of starting quality quarterbacks, and Kirk Cousins is certainly starter quality. However, many Vikings fans believe that Kirk is not the guy to push the team over the top.
What kind of value would the Vikings get in return for Kirk?
We can look at the most recent trades for quarterbacks, including Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, and Matthew Stafford. Wilson was a blockbuster deal, but if we are being honest with ourselves, Kirk is not on his level.
On the other hand, Kirk could be mentioned with the likes of Stafford and Wentz. He is actually closer, production-wise, to Stafford than Wentz. You could make an argument that Kirk is better than Wentz. So, it’s possible he could garner a trade package close to the Stafford trade.
However, considering Kirk’s contract will decrease the total compensation the Vikings would receive in return. Based on the contract, it’s difficult to imagine a team giving up a slew of picks like the Rams did for Stafford, and definitely, nothing like the Broncos gave up for Wilson.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”969690″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%20Green%20Bay%20Packers%20placing%20franchise%20tag%20on%20Davante%20Adams” duration=”82″ description=”It looks like the Green Bay Packers are getting the gang back together. First Aaron Rodgers agreed to the largest contract in football history. Now, the Packers are ensuring the four-time NFL MVP still has his favorite target in 2022 as well, by placing the franchise tag on Davante Adams.” uploaddate=”2022-03-09″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/969588_s_1646841361361.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/969588/969588.m3u8″]
The Commanders are taking on Wentz’s contract and giving up to two 3rd round picks. With that in mind, a reasonable trade offer for Kirk could land the Vikings a 2022 and 2023 2nd round pick, maybe even a 1st round.
What Will the Vikings Do
The Vikings have been adamant that they intend to build around Kirk Cousins. The Wilfs have said they do not want to be a rebuilding team. Therefore, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario where they trade away Kirk when you see how he can produce.
However, if one of these needy teams becomes desperate and offers a king’s ransom, Kwesi could certainly pull the trigger. Many, including myself, believe that moving on from Kirk is the best decision for the long term but expect to see an extension.
You must be logged in to post a comment.