Shooter chimes in:
The Vikings, one keen observer reasoned, should come to terms with who they are. Should the team lose to the Chargers, the organization probably has to seriously consider a sort of rebuild, much the same as the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have done.
—The Vikings could gut the whole team, which would be painful for at least a couple years. The other option would be to trade players this season but keep core players.
It really would depend on how many years of non-competitiveness owners Zygi and Mark Wilf would be willing to tolerate.
—A hot proposal, should the Vikings get off to a 0-3 start, is trying to get QB Kirk Cousins to waive his no-trade clause and move him and his prorated $20 million salary to the devastated New York Jets, who suddenly are without Aaron Rodgers.
People who know say that deal probably could get the Vikings a third-round 2025 draft pick that could go higher depending on how Cousins plays this season and how far the team goes.
That would be a reasonable trade.
The Jets already have lost their second-round 2024 draft pick via the Rodgers deal with Green Bay. The Vikings definitely would not get the Jets’ first-round pick for Cousins.
—Cousins, 35, becomes a free agent after this season. Moving to a contender for this season would seem prudent for him rather than remain with a Vikings team that might win only a half-dozen or so games. Cousins’ contract is structured so a team can’t put a franchise tag on him.
If he were to get the chance to go to a Super Bowl contender and say no thanks, you would have to wonder whether Cousins, who has grossed well over $200 million in his career, would be thinking about retirement and no further risk of injuries.
—Cousins clearly will not be the Vikings’ quarterback next year. Minnesota’s QB will be either a player they draft in the first round, or perhaps even Arizona’s Kyle Murray, 26, in a trade. Other viable teams for a Cousins trade, should their quarterback go down, could be the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
—Vikings pass rusher Danielle Hunter, 28, is off to a nice start with three sacks in two games. Jacksonville had real interest in Hunter before he signed a $20 million, one-year deal in July. The Vikings probably could get a second-round 2024 draft pick for Hunter.
—By trading wide receiver Justin Jefferson in order to draft in April either of QBs Caleb Williams of USC or Drake Maye (who started for North Carolina against the Gophers on Saturday), the Vikings would get at least two first-round draft picks. Trading offensive left tackle Christian Darrisaw would result in at least a first-round draft pick, plus maybe a second-round pick.
That’s capital enough to draft a franchise quarterback.
The Vikings, one keen observer reasoned, should come to terms with who they are.
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Skol Vikes!!
