Top 5 Potential Trade Destinations for Kirk Cousins
If the Minnesota Vikings were trying to tone down rumors surrounding a Kirk Cousins trade, a 1-4 start and a trip to the injured reserve for their star wide receiver certainly wasn’t a way to do it. We’ll join in on the fun as we list the five most likely destinations for the 35-year-old as we near the NFL’s trade deadline at the end of the month.
New York Jets
The Jets have been the clear favorite as the most talked about option as Cousins’s next destination. With a win-now team with a strong defense and some promising skill position talent in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, it feels like the best spot for a veteran like Cousins to be an immediate plug-and-play. His massive contract makes things tricky, but it’s hard to see the Jets feeling satisfied to waste away yet another season with Zach Wilson underperforming at quarterback.
New England Patriots
You could make a case that New England is the worst team in the NFL, and some of the blame must be given to the poor performance of quarterback Mac Jones. It’s never a good sign when your head coach needs to confirm with reporters that his quarterback will remain the starter ahead of their Week 6 matchup. As the Bill Belichick/Robert Kraft era continues to age and Patriots fans struggle with the idea of not going to the Super Bowl, it may make the most sense for them to give it one last shot with Cousins as the best win-now option available on the market.
Atlanta Falcons
While Desmond Ridder turned in an impressive Week 5 performance in their victory over the Houston Texans, there are still plenty wondering if he is the long-term option at quarterback in Atlanta. Since the Falcons have invested plenty of picks into skill position talent, the roster is oozing with high-level studs on the offensive side of the ball, including Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. Cousins would undoubtedly be an upgrade over Ridder, and it would likely put the team into the driver’s seat in an uninspiring NFC South.
Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill is in one of the weirdest spots out of any quarterback in the NFL. Despite drafting quarterbacks in the second and third rounds over the past two NFL Drafts, Tannehill remains under center for a Titans team that does well to succeed against worse teams but has a clear ceiling. A move for Cousins may help raise that ceiling if they choose to go all-in on a team with just one season of high-level play coming from Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins. With both stars north of 30 years old by the start of next season, it’s now or never in Tennessee.
Washington Commanders
This is the only team on the list that has not been mentioned in rumors of having any interest, but we could see the Commanders making a move for Cousins if the next month with Sam Howell continues to go south. Like the teams above, Washington poses the high-level talent at the skill positions that could help Cousins succeed. Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Brian Robinson have all proven capable of having breakout performances, while Jahan Dotson remains a promising pass-catcher within the offense. It’s a longer shot than the teams mentioned above, but we wouldn’t be surprised to at least see the Commanders inquire about the veteran’s services.
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