The future of in-demand quarterback Kirk Cousins remains up in the air. The New York Jets have recently emerged as the favorite to land the in-demand QB and are reportedly willing to pay him “whatever it takes” to sign. But if Cousins wants to join a team that has the best chance of winning, the Denver Broncos – with whom he has also been strongly linked – seem like the more appealing destination because of their strong defense.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Andy Benoit makes a compelling case that the Minnesota Vikings are actually the better fit for Cousins than the Broncos due to some key factors.
The Vikings, on the other hand, have an even stingier defense than Denver, plus enough cap room—$53M—to add Cousins without making cuts. They also have a better offensive cast than Denver. New offensive coordinator John DeFilippo recently sang Cousins’s praises. With Mike Zimmer calling the defense, DeFilippo, who was great as a schemer when coordinating an untalented Browns offense in 2015, and fantastic as a QB teacher with the Eagles in 2016-17, will presumably be the de facto offensive head coach.
The Vikings have not been considered as a likely destination for Cousins, in large part because they already have three quarterback options to choose from with Teddy Bridgewater, Case Keenum, and Sam Bradford. However, Cousins has a better track record than any of those three and would be a sizable upgrade for the Vikings.
Aside from the defense, the Vikings also compare favorably in terms of offensive weapons. Like the Broncos, they have a pair of outstanding receivers in All-Pro Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. They also have second-year running back Dalvin Cook set to return following a torn ACL.
It remains to be seen if either party will even seriously consider the other. However, the logic seems too sound for both of them not to at least think about it.
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