The Super Bowl has come and gone, the Redskins traded for Alex Smith, and Kirk Cousins is a free agent. In Part 3 of this continuing story, we look at possibly the new leader for Cousins' services, the Minnesota Vikings.
The first evidence that the Vikings want Cousins, aside from the reports saying so, is that they currently have no quarterbacks signed for next year. They aren't going to put the franchise tag on Case Keenum, even though he led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game. They will be letting Teddy Bridgewater test free agency, because they are still uncertain of how he is recovering from his catastrophic knee injury. One could imagine them bringing him back for a cheaper deal than Keenum, but probably as a backup. Finally, the oft-injured Sam Bradford is an unrestricted free agent as well. Needless to say, they are in desperate need of having at least one signal-caller on the roster. Cousins could be viewed as an upgrade at the position, so he could be worth the expense for a team that was so close to the Super Bowl.
So, why should Kirk Cousins pick the Vikings? A bunch of reasons. As I said, they were one win away from the Super Bowl. They have a super-talented defense, which was #1 in total defense last season. They have a solid running game in Latavius Murray, Jerick McKinnon, and Dalvin Cook, who is coming off of his ACL injury. Their offensive line played great most of the season, allowing Keenum all the time he needed to put up Pro Bowl numbers. Kyle Rudolph is a Top 10 tight end amd fantastic Red Zone weapon. Finally, they may have the best wide receiver corp in the NFL. Stefon Diggs is an exceptional playmaker. Adam Thieland has turned into one of the best possession receivers in recent memory. If Laquon Treadwell develops like the front office hopes he does, Cousins would have a plethora of weapons to work with. Plus, he would get to play all of his home games indoors (and a road game inside in Detroit) every year, which are ideal conditions for a QB.
Another reason why it makes sense to bring in Kirk Cousins is that he is a "mid-western" guy. Born in Illinois, raised in Holland, MI, and a graduate of Michigan State, Cousins would be closer to home in Minnesota than he would be with almost any other team. I am sure that would help sell the massive contract Cousins would get to the Vikings fans.
The only hold up to making this happen, other than Cousins' own decision, may be potential salary cap implications. While the Vikings can afford him (they have over $50 million in cap space), they will have to sign Anthony Barr and Stefon Diggs to contracts following next season. Having a QB eating up so much cap space won't help matters. However, if Cousins puts them over the top and they win a Super Bowl, I don't think the fans will complain much.
The Minnesota Vikings would be a great landing spot for Kirk Cousins. They make sense from almost every aspect. They are a team that could be just one piece away. I would not be surprised at all if this is the final landing spot of the hottest free agent on the market.
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