Purple Rumor Mill: Kirk Cousins to Mortifying Rival, Akiem Hicks, Award for Dobbs?
Dustin Baker
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VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the November 18th edition.
Purple Rumor Mill: Kirk Cousins to Mortifying Rival, Akiem Hicks, Award for Dobbs?
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the Vikings, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week.
Rumor: Kirk Cousins, a free agent in March, could sign with the Green Bay Packers.
This is an ESPN theory.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano published a roundtable article this week about NFL buzz and rumors, and Cousins to the Packers was one of the keynote theories. Graziano explained, “My sleeper is Green Bay. Jordan Love doesn’t look like the answer, and while the Packers are as patient as any team in the league, they’re also used to winning. Cousins knows the Packers’ offense because it’s a derivative of Kyle Shanahan’s scheme from their time together in Washington, and Cousins and Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur could work well together.”
A first-of-its-kind rumor, Cousins in Green Bay would be as stunning as it was unspeakable. In 2009, Brett Favre joined the Vikings after 16 seasons in Green Bay and one in New York with the Jets, so Cousins in a cheese uniform would be a form of payback. Or something of the sort. Perhaps karma.
“I recognize this is out of left field and completely different from any way the Packers usually operate. But Love’s ‘extension’ includes a palatable $5.5 million in guaranteed salary in 2024 and nothing thereafter. If they get to the end of this season and decide Love isn’t the guy moving forward, the Packers might not feel like drafting another guy and waiting for him to develop. And even if they do that, Cousins could be the solution in the meantime for a team with a promising young wide receiver group,” Graziano added.
Fowler responded to Graziano’s theory, “Yeah, these last eight games are crucial for Love. He is a really good thrower of the football with a bit of that gunslinger mentality that makes him turnover-prone. Operating more cleanly down the stretch could help chart a path in 2024 with Green Bay.”
In theory, Cousins could sign in Wisconsin, but the Packers are significantly more likely to give Jordan Love another look or use high-round draft capital to draft Drake Maye, for example.
Rumor: The Vikings should or could, alas, sign Akiem Hicks.
Hicks-to-Viking is a recurring rumor.
Vikings fans asked for the Vikings killer’s services in September, and Hicks even acknowledged the requests. Out of nowhere, Hicks tweeted on September 22nd, “That Viking love has been nice all day, I appreciate the interest. Always had fun strappin it on against you. As a competitor you hope to receive the respect of your opponent. The respect of the fan base is a very nice bonus. skol.”
Vikings defensive tackles Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard are actually playing quite well during the recent five-game winning streak, and Hicks isn’t quite as needed as he was two months ago.
But fans began circulating the sign-Hicks requests again this week. For now, it’s just internet fun.
Rumor: Josh Dobbs could win Comeback Player of the Year.
An incredibly fun idea, this one flat-out isn’t happening.
Damar Hamlin will win the award, perhaps unanimously. These are the CPOTY odds as of November 18th:
- Damar Hamlin: -200
- Josh Dobbs: +600
- Tua Tagovailoa: +750
- Lamar Jackson: +2000
- Aaron Rodgers: +3000
Dobbs would win the hardware if there were no such thing as Damar Hamlin. But Hamlin nearly died on the football field last year. He will win Comeback Player of the Year.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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