Vikings Advised to Let Kirk Cousins Walk, Sign Former No. 1 Pick at Lower Cost

The Minnesota Vikings must soon make a difficult call on QB Kirk Cousins: either pay him big late into his 30s off a serious injury or let him leave and risk taking a considerable step back as the rest of their competition in the NFC North is on the rise.

However, there are some who believe the choice isn’t all that vexing. Alex Kay of Bleacher Report recently suggested that given Cousins’ relative playoff impotency over his six seasons in Minnesota, the team should cut bait with its starter and move on to a cheaper option who could ultimately prove just as effective — namely Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Rather than paying Cousins top dollar for flashy regular season numbers and inevitable playoff disappointments, the Vikings should instead consider Baker Mayfield for the job,” Kay said, per SKOR North’s X account on Wednesday, February 21.

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Baker Mayfield Had Resurgent Season With Bucs in 2023

Mayfield is an interesting option in Minnesota for multiple reasons.

The former No. 1 overall pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2018 had the best season of his career in Tampa Bay in 2023, completing 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 TDs and 10 INTs on his way to his first Pro Bowl in six NFL seasons. He has thrown for over 20,000 yards during his professional tenure and has close to a 2-to-1 touchdown/interception ratio.

Mayfield will play next season at 29 years old, while Cousins will play at 36. Spotrac projects Mayfield’s market value at $27.1 million annually, while the website calculates Cousin’s going rate at $39.3 million.

Cousins owns a career playoff record of 1-4 across four trips to the postseason, while Mayfield has a record of 2-2 over two forays into the playoffs.

Mayfield doesn’t stack up as well to Cousins in the regular season, but is a tough and gutsy player who has proven he can have success with quality pass-catchers around him. Mayfield would certainly have that in Minnesota, where tight end TJ Hockenson and wide receiver Jordan Addison are under contract through the 2027 campaign, assuming the Vikings exercise their fifth-year team option on Addison’s rookie deal.

Justin Jefferson is also a good bet to don the purple and gold on a multiyear extension, though the All-Pro wideout is seeking clarity at the QB position before he commits long-term.

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Ideal Scenario for Vikings Involves Trading Up in NFL Draft for Jayden Daniels

Mayfield isn’t liable to get Vikings fans psyched, and that’s a reasonable perspective to have. He is a good player, but that he will ever be a great one is a stretch.

Minnesota fans are hungry for Super Bowl contention and while Mayfield might win the Vikings a playoff game or two, things would probably have to break significantly in the franchise’s favor to see him leading an offense on some future Sunday in February. But anyone paying attention can, and often has, said the exact same thing about Cousins.

The ideal scenario for the team and its fanbase would be a trade that allows the Vikings to draft a QB prospect with franchise potential in April. The most intriguing candidate is probably Jayden Daniels of LSU, fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.

Caleb Williams of USC is the crown jewel of this draft, but the Chicago Bears own the top pick and appear to be in the market for a quarterback, which means Williams is likely out of Minnesota’s reach. The problem is that Daniels may be as well.

The Washington Commanders select No. 2 overall and are also in the market for a signal-caller. If they like Daniels, he could be off the board before the Vikings ever get on the clock.

The New England Patriots pick third and represent Minnesota’s best chance to get into the high-end QB game in this year’s draft. However, the asset haul the Vikings must surrender will be too great if they can’t land Williams or Daniels once the deal is done.

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