So why would the Vikings even be interested in Baker Mayfield?
AJ Mansour
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ESPN’s Dan Graziano started a firestorm here in Minnesota over the weekend when he named the Minnesota Vikings as a possible landing spot for Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield to land.
As laid out this morning by VT’s Dustin Baker, the move would likely be an insurance policy for Kirk Cousins if the new offensive system doesn’t jive with this style of play. As Dustin explains, if Kirk doesn’t work out in 2022 Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is likely to turn to 2023’s loaded QB draft in search of a long-term solution for the future. In turn, they would need a bridge quarterback with a lower price tag than Cousins $36.25 million price tag in 2023. In this scenario, Baker Mayfield would be an option.
At first glance, one would question why there would even be interest in Mayfield from the Vikings. Proven at the college level, Mayfield failed to prove that his skillset was able to translate into the next level with the NFL. There have been maturity issues, leadership concerns and straight up questions about his skillset. According to the poll below, it appears the fans don’t have much interest either.
But this is the point in the story where we need to remind ourselves that we literally know nothing about Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell when it comes to their style, their preferences and their vision. So that leaves us with a few things that the new-look Minnesota Vikings might be thinking about.
- We’re still getting to know our new friends…
It is possible that one of the two new figureheads for the Minnesota Vikings might think that there something there that they, or their offensive scheme can pull out of Mayfield that the situation in Cleveland couldn’t.
Baker was the Heisman Trophy winner and the #1 overally pick in 2018. The Browns might have shocked the world by taking him with the top overall selection, but they were not the only team that predicted Mayfield’s talent would work in the NFL. It’s possible that a new scenario, a new environment and new coaching might be what Baker needs to hit the reset button and figure it out. - Then there’s just the idea surrounding the lack of other options.
If Cousins does indeed flop with the new scheme, and you’re of the conservative mindset that isn’t ready to throw a rookie into the mix right off the bat, what are your options? Quarterbacks realistically set to become free agents in 2023 include Sam Darnold, Teddy Bridgewater, Mason Rudolph, Jacoby Brisset, Gardner Minshew, Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Taylor Heinicke and Andy Dalton. Baker Mayfield would top that list pretty easily becoming the best option for a bridge quarterback to go out and try to get you some wins until your future option is ready. - Don’t forget the history…
Serving most recently as the Vice President of Football operations for the Cleveland Browns, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has THE ENTIRE book on Baker Mayfield. He knows it all when it comes to Mayfield. The health history, the good, the bad…it’s all there because of the access that he had to the analysis within the Browns organization.wns
So it makes some sense, and that’s really all that this is here. The whole idea here is simply an analysis from an NFL expert who highlighted a team that might be a good landing spot. There’s not a source who claims the move is in the works, there have been no phone calls made, it’s just common sense.
And it’s hard to argue with the common sense thoughts attributed to this idea.
Aj Mansour is a member of The Power Trip Morning Show on KFAN and works for iHeartMedia and the Vikings Radio Network. He’s also a senior writer for VikingsTerritory.com. Be sure to follow him on social media for the latest Vikings news and big opinions – @AjKFAN
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