A struggling AFC team has been suggested as a potential landing spot for Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Vikings are 0-3 and likely to miss the playoffs just one year after winning the NFC North with a 13-4 record. This past offseason, the Vikings notably decided not to hand Cousins an extension heading into his contract year.
If the Vikings are out of the playoff race leading up to the deadline, they’ll likely shop the 35-year-old Cousins to teams looking to upgrade at the game’s most important position. If Cousins hits the trade block, could the Las Vegas Raiders emerge as a potential landing spot?
Mark Powell of FanSided listed several landing spots for the four-time Pro Bowler. One of those teams was the Las Vegas Raiders, who are a disappointing 1-2 following a Week 3 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers:
“If Sunday night proved anything, it’s that the Raiders as currently constructed will not be winning much of anything this season. Jimmy Garoppolo is a fine quarterback, but he is not built to spread the ball around to this many weapons. Josh Jacobs, Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Hunter Renfrow and more deserve someone like Cousins…
Josh McDaniels is on the hot seat and may be fired by the end of the season if Vegas doesn’t turn things around…Cousins is the ultimate win-now pickup. His contract isn’t guaranteed beyond this season, and he’s a proven veteran. Shoot your shot, Vegas.”
The Raiders released veteran quarterback Derek Carr then curiously signed the injury-prone Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal last year. Garoppolo’s career up to this point has been marred by injuries and inconsistent play, whereas Cousins has been a consistent producer since joining Minny in 2018.
Las Vegas’ offense would definitely benefit from a more prolific passer like Cousins, who would serve as an immediate upgrade over Garoppolo. Would the Raiders actually consider a change at QB this early in the season? Only time will tell, but as Powell noted, it may be worth a shot with Josh McDaniels likely coaching for his job.