Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was fired on Monday, October 11, after a 1-4 start to the 2022 season in Carolina.
Rhule, a defensive-minded head coach, failed to get the Panthers over the hump due to struggles on offense. The Panthers rank 29th in offensive efficiency, 29th in yards per game, 27th in points per game and, most notably, 30th in quarterback rating, per ESPN.
The Panthers have been searching for their next franchise quarterback since the franchise released Cam Newton after the 2019 season. Baker Mayfield was the latest answer to the quarterback problem in Carolina, which has left an offense brimming with talent inept.
But before the Mayfield trade, the Panthers had other options, including Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. With a new regime entering the building following the ousting of Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took calls for the veteran quarterback.
A rumor was floated that the Panthers called the Vikings inquiring about Cousins, which the Panthers front office countered by mocking Cousins — a move that’s ultimately come back to bite them with a fire sale about to ensue in Carolina.
Panthers ‘Laughed’ at Vikings, Kirk Cousins Trade Rumor
Back in February, SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad reported that the Panthers called the Vikings about a potential trade for Cousins, and even foresaw Rhule’s firing if they didn’t get the quarterback position right this time around.
“They have gotten a call,” Zulgad said, per Inside the Vikings. “Now, from what I’ve heard, it went nowhere so far. But it’s interesting that the phone did ring at TCO [Performance Center] in Eagan and on the other end of the line…the Carolina Panthers. Quarterback-desperate. Panicked, I’m sure. I think if Matt Rhule and the Panthers don’t have a successful 2022, he’s probably going to be fired because that has not worked out. They cast their lot, in 2021, with Sam Darnold — didn’t work out. … Now, the Vikings supposedly said ‘Hey, let’s put a pin in that conversation. We don’t plan to move him now.’ But it makes sense that you would then try and drive things a bit.”
The Charlotte Observer’s Jonathan Alexander reported that “two sources said that call never occurred” and that the front office “laughed” at the rumor.
“The coaching staff and front office were actually in a meeting when they heard the news and laughed it off,” Alexander wrote on March 7, adding that the Panthers, with Sam Darnold on their books, are not in a position to pay Cousins, who carried a $45 million cap hit before the Vikings decided to stick with Cousins and offer a one-year contract extension to lighten his hit on the cap.
While a deal may have not been struck with Carolina, the Panthers perhaps wish they would have entertained more quarterback conversations in the offseason — and leaking a trollish report to the media clearly showed the organization’s lack of concern in the offseason.
Minnesota did receive genuine interest from the Indianapolis Colts in Cousins, however, a deal was not struck.
Cousins’ Former Team Also Has a QB Problem
Since Cousins left the Washington Commanders, there’s been a vacuum at the quarterback position which is reaching a point of frustration.
The Commanders, weighing whether to offer Cousins a new deal after a pair of franchise tags, opted to sign Alex Smith. Since then, 11 different quarterbacks have started for the Commanders in the past five seasons.
Washington thought they could turn around Carson Wentz‘s career, but just five games in, coach Ron Rivera has thrown the former No. 2 overall pick to the fires.
The Commanders are 1-4 after Wentz threw a costly interception at the goal line to end a 21-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Rivera, looking up at every other team in the NFC East that all have four wins this season, was asked what the biggest difference between Washington and the rest of the division was. He had a one-word response.
“Quarterback,” Rivera said, via Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports.
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Mocking Vikings, Kirk Cousins Trade Rumor Comes Back to Bite NFC Team