Last season, the Minnesota Vikings finished with one of the best records in the NFL at 13-4. This was more than enough to earn the Vikings a playoff appearance for the second time during Kirk Cousins’ tenure with Minnesota. However, the success didn’t last long.
After Minnesota was eliminated by Daniel Jones and the Giants, the Vikings have looked possibly the worst they ever have with Cousins at the helm.
With extremely young and talented players combined with older, declining and expensive players, the Vikings find themselves in a complex situation.
One of the biggest concerns for the organization isn’t winning games, but more so keeping Justin Jefferson happy and in Minnesota.
With the Vikings sitting at 2-4 and their star playmaker out for the next 3-5 weeks with a hamstring injury, the Vikings could consider fully entering a rebuild.
Minnesota has already lost its cornerstone defensive players such as Anthony Barr, Eric Kendricks, Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen and many more. This is a large reason why the defense that used to be one of the best in the NFL is now dead last in both passing and rushing defense.
So, with Cousins in the final year of his contract and a substantial contract extension looming for Jefferson, why not plan for the future rather than barely stay in contention?
It’s worth mentioning that Cousins does have a no-trade clause in his current contract, and has expressed that he would like to finish his career in Minnesota. However, if both parties can get on the same page, they can both put themselves in a more optimal position.
Theoretically, Minnesota could attempt to trade its franchise QB with an expiring deal to a team trying to win now that needs help at the position. If a team such as the New York Jets were to trade for Cousins, it could instantly become a contender. Similarly, a team on the brink of contention to win its division and make the playoffs, such as the Atlanta Falcons, could also be a contender for Cousins.
Either way, each team wouldn’t need to give much up in return, as Minnesota would mainly be attempting to reap the benefits of its own downfall.
The Vikings aren’t going to be able to compete at a high level with Jefferson sidelined, and if Minnesota drops enough games to the point where a rebuild seems reasonable by the deadline, this could very well be the ideal direction for the Vikings.
