MINNESOTA VIKINGS: TRADE PROPOSAL FOR TOP QUARTERBACK
In a shocking turn of events, rumors are swirling that the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins are on the verge of a breakup. According to Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller on February 5, a trade for a new quarterback may be on the horizon.
Enter Fox Sports 1 personality Colin Cowherd, who has a bold idea to put the Vikings in prime position to land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. However, it comes at a steep cost.
During an episode of “The Herd” on February 5, Cowherd proposed a trade scenario involving the New England Patriots. He suggested that the Vikings trade their star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson, along with two first-round picks to the Patriots in exchange for the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft.
Cowherd’s reasoning behind the trade is simple: the Patriots desperately need a playmaker, and the Vikings would benefit from moving up in the draft to secure their quarterback of the future. While it may seem like a high price to pay, Cowherd argues that it’s necessary to make such a move.
If the trade were to happen, the Vikings would receive the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, while the Patriots would acquire Justin Jefferson, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and a first-round pick in 2025.
While this trade wouldn’t guarantee the Vikings the opportunity to select USC’s Caleb Williams, it would still give them a chance to choose between North Carolina’s Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, two promising quarterbacks in their own right, according to Cowherd.
Moving on from a player like Justin Jefferson, who has been a standout performer for the Vikings since his rookie year, may seem counterproductive. However, Cowherd believes that the team has enough talent on offense to compensate for his potential loss. With players like Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson already in the mix, Cowherd argues that the Vikings have a strong receiving corps even without Jefferson.
Financially, trading Jefferson could also make sense for the Vikings. With $28.9 million in cap space, there is a valid argument for making such a move. Additionally, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a good relationship with Jefferson’s representatives, which could potentially lead to a new contract that lowers his cap hit in 2024.
While this trade proposal is certainly bold, it highlights the Vikings’ desire to secure a top quarterback and their willingness to make significant moves to achieve that goal. Only time will tell if this trade becomes a reality, but it’s clear that the Vikings are exploring all options to improve their quarterback situation.
In a surprising twist, sports analyst Colin Cowherd unintentionally made a compelling case against his own proposed trade scenario that could potentially involve the Minnesota Vikings. Cowherd suggested that the Vikings could still find a quality quarterback at the 11th spot in the draft. He argued that if they believe Caleb is the top quarterback in the draft and there isn’t a significant gap between him and the other prospects, then it wouldn’t matter if they dropped from the 3rd to the 11th position. This is because they could still benefit from selecting talented wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Regarding the financial aspect of the trade, Cowherd didn’t seem concerned about the potential contract implications for Jefferson. He dismissed the notion of paying Jefferson a hefty salary, emphasizing that the Vikings wouldn’t be paying their quarterback in this scenario.
By choosing to stay put in the draft, the Vikings would have the opportunity to select from a pool of promising quarterbacks. These include J.J. McCarthy from Michigan, Bo Nix from Oregon, and Michael Penix Jr. from Washington. However, the projected draft positions for these prospects have been highly unpredictable throughout the evaluation process.
Josh Buckhalter, a sports reporter, covers both the NBA and NFL for a publication.