First QB Domino Impacts Vikings Plans
Ted Schwerzler
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The Minnesota Vikings will be forced to reveal at least part of their plans for the quarterback position in the coming days, and with Russell Wilson having made a decision, at least a piece of the puzzle becomes clearer.
First QB Domino Impacts Vikings Plans
As the Vikings dance the future at the quarterback position and their choice involving Kirk Cousins, the NFL landscape moved on without them early in the week. While free agency doesn’t officially open until Wednesday, March 13, the legal tampering period has kicked off, and the former Denver Broncos signal caller is on the move. Reportedly set to sign with Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota has a few cascading effects.
First and foremost, Wilson is off the market. Whether that matters to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah may never be known. There were at least reports suggesting that Minnesota could be a landing spot for the longtime Seattle Seahawks quarterback, but that fit always seemed questionable at best. Should the team move on from Cousins, then finding a bridge quarterback would be an option, but Wilson would command some serious attention should that be considered.
Next up is the fact that Pittsburgh is out on the services of Cousins. It’s not necessarily thought that they would ever be interested in the first place, but needing a better option than Mitch Trubiski, Kenny Pickett, or Mason Rudolph, Cousins would represent exactly that. Tomlin is a great coach with a strong talent infrastructure, and infusing the team with a competent signal-caller could go a long way.
Although Pittsburgh wasn’t seen as a likely destination for Cousins, there’s the fact that someone like Justin Fields could have had some degree of appeal to them. With Wilson soon to be under contract, that ultimately takes them out of the running for a quarterback trade. There are only so many starting jobs across the league, and each one that gets talent off the board reveals a bit more about the positioning for Minnesota.
If it won’t be in purple, then black makes the most sense for Cousins. Rumblings of interest with the Atlanta Falcons have been flying for days, and that has always seemed like the most likely other landing spot for the Vikings veteran. Until they have something else done, Minnesota’s primary competition remains in full throat. Alternatives could ultimately be more plentiful at this juncture, but that’s really the only clear-cut resolution.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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