Quarterback Scrabble and How Kirk Cousins Fits into It
Four days from the commencement of the “legal tampering” period of free agency remain in the NFL, and seven teams have no clear-cut plan at quarterback. And if one perceives Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins as a sure-thing to be traded elsewhere, the total arguably inflates to eight teams.
These are the seven teams holding no clear plan at QB1 as free agency approaches:
- Carolina Panthers
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- New Orleans Saints
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Tampa Bay Buccanneers
That’s a lot.
Because Cousins possesses a large and widely-broadcast cap hit in 2022 of $45 million, his future with the Vikings is uncertain. Theoretically, he could be offloaded to another NFL team like Carson Wentz and the Colts encountered on Wednesday, sending the now-journeyman passer to the Washington Commanders for three draft picks and ownership of Wentz’s naughty contract.
After Aaron Rodgers’ commitment to the Green Bay Packers, Russell Wilson’s departure to the Denver Broncos, and Wentz’s move to the nation’s capital, the quarterback Scrabble board became clearer.
But it is not yet resolved.
Here’s the deal — seven teams need quarterbacks. None of the aforementioned seven squads will roll with their current QB1. Football teams don’t limp into regular seasons anymore with trash at quarterback. The 1980s are over.
This is the Scrabble: these quarterbacks will fit somewhere among the seven teams:
- Matt Corral (rookie)
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Kenny Pickett (rookie)
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Malik Willis (rookie)
- Jameis Winston
- Deshaun Watson
In that hot-and-cold puddle lives Cousins’ trade stock. He’s an upgrade over anyone not named Watson on the list, and Cousins isn’t facing 20+ allegations of sexual misconduct.
It is not guaranteed Corrall, Garoppolo, Pickett, Trubisky, Willis, Winston, or Watson will start anywhere Week 1 — but they are the current possibilities. Matt Ryan, too, could play Scrabble if Atlanta is ready to move on. However, chatter on that topic is minimal for now.
If Vikings general management and Cousins cannot reach a deal on an extension — they’re probably working on meeting in the middle right now — the Michigan State alumnus will wipe one word off the Scrabble board. He could be traded to the Buccaneers, Colts, Panthers, Saints, Seahawks, Steelers, or Texans. Maybe even the Cleveland Browns.
So, it’s a team-need game right now. Which team wants to take a Commanders-like splash and try their system with Cousins? How many teams are actually calling Kwesi Adofo-Mensah? These are the questions to ponder.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”969828″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%203%20ideal%20Von%20Miller%20landing%20spots%20in%20NFL%20free%20agency” duration=”80″ description=”As he enters his eleventh year in the league, Von Miller is still a consistently reliable pass-rush option in the NFL. In an era that is dominated by the passing game, players that can get to the quarterback are at an absolute premium. And it’s why Miller will still be a prized free-agent pick-up despite having over 160 games worth of NFL miles on his 32-year-old body.” uploaddate=”2022-03-09″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/969706_s_1646850183228.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/969706/969706.m3u8″]
VikingsTerritory still believes Cousins will end up back with the Vikings in 2022, but the odds are truly 50/50. And with the Scrabble game containing so many participants, Cousins’ trade value is at an apex.
The good news? There should be a resolution within the next six days, the deadline for Minnesota to achieve salary cap compliance.
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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