Getty Quarterback Kirk Cousins, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.
After six years under center, Kirk Cousins is no longer the QB of the Minnesota Vikings, but that doesn’t mean the franchise can’t still claim victory at the position this offseason.
Free agency may no longer be the way to go, after Cousins signed a monster deal with the Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Russell Wilson signed a cheap one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, a trade for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields as a bridge starter — paired with the drafting of a rookie QB in April — all of a sudden looks like a viable outcome that Minnesota can bend to its favor.
The most frequently mentioned trade partners for Fields in recent weeks were the Falcons, Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders. All three are now off the board, as the Raiders inked Gardner Minshew to a multiyear contract on Monday, March 11. The only two other potential suitors noted by anyone are the Vikings and the Cleveland Browns, the latter of which is a long shot considering Deshaun Watson still has three years on his deal and Joe Flacco appears willing to return as his backup in 2024.
As such, the Bears’ market for Fields has all but dried up just hours after the league opened its legal tampering period on March 11. With the destinations for Fields limited and Chicago all but certain to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams in the upcoming draft, the Bears will have to take what they can get for their former first-round pick (No. 11 overall in 2021).
As it turns out, what they can get may be limited to what Minnesota is willing to offer.
Justin Fields Can Offer Vikings Inexpensive Option With Contractual Flexibility Over Next 2 Seasons
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
To be clear, the Vikings don’t have to go after Fields. Other viable options do exist, such as former San Francisco 49ers backup and free agent Sam Darnold. That said, Fields is probably the most talented player with the most upside available ahead of the draft in April, and his financials give Minnesota some room to operate.
The Vikings will incur a dead cap hit of $28.5 million via Cousins’ departure, which will limit the amount of money they have to spend at the position. Despite moments of difficulty developing into an NFL passer, Fields is a significant value in 2024 on the final year of his $18.9 million rookie deal, carrying a cap hit just north of $6 million.
Should Minnesota make a trade for Fields, the team would also acquire the right to pick up his fifth-year option for the 2025 campaign, which will cost roughly $25.7 million. The Vikings will then have until early May to decide whether or not to do so.
Spotrac currently projects Fields’ market value at $283.2 million over a new six-year contract, though Minnesota wouldn’t even need to consider any type of extension prior to the 2026 season. Additionally, the Vikings ultimately paying Fields that kind of money is unlikely due to their draft position at No. 11 this April, which should afford the team the opportunity to secure a quality rookie quarterback for the future.
Justin Fields Viable Bridge Starter for Vikings Regardless of Who Team Decides to Draft
GettyFormer University of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota would probably pick up Fields’ fifth-year option in this hypothetical scenario, though the team’s decision would depend on whether it drafts a quarterback in the first round and with which pick the franchise takes that player.
Trading up into the top five to make a run at someone like Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy might incline the Vikings to decline Fields’ option and keep him as a one-year bridge starter to their QB of the future.
However, staying put and picking a player like Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. might make two years of Fields the correct choice, as it would allow more time for the rookie quarterback to develop. If he does so quickly, the Vikings can trade Fields next offseason. If he doesn’t, Minnesota has a quality dual-threat signal-caller and proven starter to captain the offense for the next two years.
And if something catastrophic befalls the Vikings’ choice of rookie quarterback, or if Minnesota should choose not to draft one, Fields offers Kevin O’Connell a talented player with a high ceiling to try and develop into the long-term franchise QB.
Vikings Can Push Down Trade Price for Justin Fields, as Several Potential Suitors Now Out on QB
GettyQuarterback Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears.
The final point in Fields’ favor is that while the Bears held out hope they could get first-round value back for the quarterback, and most NFL analysts projected second-round trade value for Fields, the Vikings may now be able to acquire him for even less.
The simple concept of supply and demand applies to Fields’ situation, and with so much demand drying up Monday, Minnesota can step into the driver’s seat. The Vikings own the rights to the No. 42 overall pick, which they can keep in reserve if new suitors emerge for Fields. However, that currently appears considerably more than what Minnesota has to spend to land him.
Instead, the Vikings can start the bidding with the 108th overall pick in the fourth round and build out from there. That selection still represents Day-2 value for Fields, and if the Bears press back in an attempt to get third-round value, Minnesota can offer to package another pick to even out the deal.
The Vikings also own a second fourth-round pick (No. 129 overall), as well as pick Nos. 157 and 167 in the fifth round of this year’s draft, per Tankathon.