The Carolina Panther Are In The Mix For Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins
According to Judd Zulgad, the Carolina Panthers made a call to the Minnesota Vikings inquiring about quarterback Kirk Cousins. Carolinas current quarterback room consists of Sam Darnold who passed for 2,527 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 13 picks last, Cam Newton who threw for 654 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 5 picks, and P.J. Walker who tossed for 362 yards, a touchdown, and 3 picks.
Last season, Cousins passed for 4,221 yards with 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions as the Vikings went 8-9 and narrowly missed the playoffs.
As a Vikings fan I have mixed emotions about a trade involving Cousins. He’s been one of the leagues laughing stocks since joining the Vikings because he can’t win in primetime and I’ve backed him so much because he was the quarterback of my favorite team.
He accounted for one of the greatest moments I’ve experienced as a Vikings fan including the fade route to Kyle Rudolph to eliminate the Saints from the playoffs.
That was one of the most thrilling plays I had ever watched and gave me a rush of pride to have Kirk Cousins lead my favorite sports team.
But on the other hand, Cousins hasn’t been able to take talented rosters to the big game. He’s had great defenses and better receiving cores and only made the playoffs once in a fairly week division. As a Viking he has a record of 33-29-1.
I think a trade package for the Panthers to acquire Cousins would have to have more value than if they went after him in past seasons. He finished ninth in both passing yards and touchdowns and was thirty first in interceptions which is better than any of the seven players ahead of him in yards and touchdowns.
Carolina only has six draft picks in the 2022 draft, a first rounder and nothing else on day one or two. So Carolina could send the sixth overall pick and a sixth rounder in exchange Kirk Cousins and the Vikings third and fifth rounder.
Another package for Cousins could look like the Vikings sending Kirk Cousins and their third round pick for Panthers right tackle Taylor Moton, cornerback A.J. Bouye, and their seventh round selection.
The last trade package could be a straight up player for player deal where the Vikings send Kirk Cousins to the Panthers for linebacker Shaq Thompson.
If one of these offers goes through then the Vikings would have to repurpose the twelfth overall selection and look for a quarterback instead of an offensive lineman or cornerback. Kenny Pickett and Sam Howell would be great options. Pickett has the most upside of the two, but has the lowest floor while Howell is pro ready and is a safer pick than Pickett.
It could be a very interesting season if Cousins is out. A new quarterback, a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator, and a new general manager.