The Minnesota Vikings have opened all possibilities for their future at quarterback.
Less than 24 hours after CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported that the Vikings are “very open” to trading Kirk Cousins, Minnesota has “expressed interest” in Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
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Watson Avoids Criminal Charges, Opens Possibility of Trade to Vikings
A criminal grand jury in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal charges after considering evidence of possible sexual misconduct against him in a hearing Friday, March 11, per USA Today. This development has dramatically reduced the trouble he’s faced the past year regarding his future in the NFL — and teams are pouring in with interest in the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
The Vikings are among those teams, Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reported on March 12.
“The Minnesota Vikings have expressed interest in Watson despite the presence of quarterback Kirk Cousins, according to sources. Cousins, who has the largest salary cap figure in the NFL, is potentially available via a trade for the right price,” said Wilson, who covered the Texans for the Houston Chronicle for six seasons. “The Vikings appear to be an attractive potential destination for Watson given the presence of wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen and running back Dalvin Cook.”
Wilson’s latest report overlaps with an earlier report that Minnesota is on Watson’s radar, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
However, Watson is still in legal turmoil and must address 22 civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct. He could still face discipline from the NFL, although less harsh with no criminal charges filed against him.
After his hearing, Watson addressed reporters, calling it a “very emotional moment.”
“I’m going to keep fighting to rebuild my name and rebuild my appearance in the community,” Watson said, per USA Today. “And we’re going to continue to, on the legal side, off the field, handle what we need to handle but also ready to get back on the field.”
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Vikings Trade for Watson Won’t Come Cheap
While Cousins and Watson are both two of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, both boasting $35 million base salaries in 2022, Watson will hold much higher value in a trade.
At the age of 26, Watson is a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback and could have a decade of his prime ahead of him. Meanwhile, Cousins, 33, is playing some of his best football but is an aging asset.
A one-for-one trade for the two quarterbacks will not be realistic.
Minnesota will have to give up draft capital and players to reach a deal. They could acquire additional capital by trading Cousins elsewhere in the league, but if Cousins is traded to Houston, a deal could potentially look like the Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade.
The Vikings would likely have to include at least a first-round pick with several other draft picks with Cousins to give the Texans a route to find a future franchise quarterback beyond Cousins as a potential stop-gap for two to three years.
While this trade was proposed last offseason, Pro Football Talk columnist Peter King listed a potential three-way trade with the San Francisco 49ers that seems in the realm of possibility with the 49ers questionable on Jimmy Garappolo’s return as well.
Obviously, rosters have changed, but from an asset standpoint, this could be the magnitude of what a trade involving Watson and Cousins would look like. It is much more realistic with Watson’s interest in Minnesota and likely willingness to waive his no-trade clause:
Peter King Proposal: The Vikings send quarterback Kirk Cousins to San Francisco. The Niners send Garoppolo to Houston, if, of course, he’d waive his no-trade. The Texans send Watson to Minnesota. In return: the Niners send their first-round pick in 2021 (12th overall) to Houston, and they’re out. (So San Francisco would be trading Garoppolo and a one to Houston and getting Cousins with two years left on his contract.) The Vikings would send linebacker Anthony Barr and running back Alexander Mattison plus their first-round picks in 2021 (14th overall) and 2023, and second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 in exchange for Watson. Houston’s haul: Garoppolo, two ones this year, a one in 2023, and two second-round picks.
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Vikings ‘Expressed Interest’ in Trade for 3-Time Pro Bowl QB: Report