Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Anew betting favorite to start for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 has emerged, and it’s a quarterback with whom the franchise is already quite familiar.
On Thursday, March 8, the BetOnline Sportsbook listed Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields at 3-to-1 to open the year under center in Minnesota, per Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago. Next on the list was Trey Lance, currently of the Dallas Cowboys at 4-to-1. The website placed Josh Dobbs third on the list followed by “any rookie QB” in fourth with 5-to-1 odds.
“The sportsbook also notes that ‘that the majority of Vikings QB bets’ have been on Fields, so that might be part of the reason the odds for Fields to take over in Minnesota have shortened,” Shapiro wrote. “It’s also worth noting that Fields is a popular pick to take over for many other teams. He’s listed at 4/1 odds to start for both the [Pittsburgh] Steelers and [Las Vegas] Raiders in Week 1. The oddsmakers have him at 5/1 to start for the [Atlanta] Falcons.”
Kirk Cousins Not Listed in BetOnline Odds to Start for Vikings Week 1
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
An interesting omission from BetOnline’s odds was six-year starter Kirk Cousins.
The more time that passes without a new deal for Cousins in Minnesota, the more likely he hits the open market on March 13. If that happens, he will be the most sought after quarterback in free agency, which means the money the Vikings will have to offer/guarantee the QB in order to sign him will increase.
Fully-guaranteed dollars is already the sticking point in negotiations, and a win-now type of team is liable to cross a threshold that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will not. Head coach Kevin O’Connell’s most recent comments on Cousins’ situation are indicative of an attempt to soften the blow of Cousins ultimately departing the franchise in free agency.
“He’s earned the right to be a free agent,” O’Connell told NFL Network at the combine last week. “My expectation is we’re not going to be the only ones that would like Kirk Cousins to be the quarterback of our team in 2024.”
Justin Fields Will Likely Cost Vikings 2nd-Round Pick
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields.
If Fields ends up being the guy in Minnesota, the Vikings are going to have to trade for him to make it happen.
Fields’ market has dipped since the combine, and Chicago is now inclined to wait for some of the major free-agent dominoes to fall before reassessing. That said, the Bears will still be looking for second-round value in a deal for Fields and will probably get it if they remain patient enough.
As such, it is reasonable to expect that any deal the Vikings might make to acquire the three-year starter from their division rival is going to cost them their No. 42 overall pick this April. That may seem a steep price to pay for a talented QB, who nevertheless has struggled to develop as an NFL-caliber passer and has some major faults — namely holding onto the football too long and too often making questionable decisions when trying to push it downfield.
However, moving up from No. 11 to say No. 3 with the New England Patriots to draft a rookie could cost Minnesota as much as three first-round picks. In comparison, Fields is incredibly affordable and has upside that should excite an offensive-minded coach like O’Connell.
Fields will play the final season of his four-year rookie deal in 2024 and has a fifth-year team option built in that can keep him under contract through 2025 for $25.7 million.