The New England Patriots are definitely in the market for a quarterback during the offseason, and they are expected to use the No. 3 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to select one of the highly touted signal callers in the draft. However, the selection of a rookie quarterback does not mean the Pats are not in the market for a veteran quarterback. Even though Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings will be available unless he signs an extension prior to the March 13 start of the new league year, New England does not appear to be interested.

Cousins is considered the top veteran quarterback who is expected to be available during free agency. He was having an excellent season with the Vikings before he suffered a torn Achilles shortly before the halfway point of the year. Cousins has been relatively injury free throughout his 12-year professional career. He has recently put out a video demonstrating his throwing ability and recovery from the Achilles injury.

While the Patriots have not shown any interest in Cousins to his point, there has been some interest in Baker Mayfield. The Tampa Bay quarterback was coached by New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt during his time with the Cleveland Browns.

Kirk Cousins is likely to be a very expensive acquisition for the team that signs him. While he has had issues playing effectively against elite opponents, he is considered one of the NFL's most accurate passers and an excellent decision maker. He is also very popular in the Vikings locker room.