Could the Minnesota Vikings turn to Baker Mayfield in free agency this offseason?

Going into 2023, the Vikings were employing Kirk Cousins at quarterback. However, Cousins was going into the final year of his deal, and midway through the season, he tore his Achilles.

Now, Cousins is set to become a free agent at age 36 with a devastating injury in his rearview mirror, so it remains to be seen if Minnesota opts to re-sign him.

If the Vikings ultimately choose to let Cousins walk, why not turn to Mayfield?

Let’s face it: Minnesota is in win-now mode. It has arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson and still lays claim to a solid defense. For that reason, the Vikings may want to retool rather than rebuild. That could mean simply replacing the aging Cousins with the younger Mayfield.

Mayfield, who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has had one heck of a resurgence this season, throwing for 3,315 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 63.5 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 94.7.

This comes a year after Mayfield’s NFL career appeared to be on life support after splitting the 2022 campaign between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams.

Mayfield is still just 28 years old, so he surely still has plenty left in the tank. Of course, one can argue that he is merely putting up big numbers in a contract year, but at the very least, he is showing that he absolutely still has the ability to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Heck, the Buccaneers are 7-7 and are in contention for the NFC South division title.

While Mayfield isn’t exactly Patrick Mahomes, he is certainly a viable option for the Vikings next season if they want to contend for an NFC North crown (or a playoff spot in general).

Think about this for a second: Minnesota has remained in postseason contention this year with Josh Dobbs under center. Imagine how much of a better position the club would be in had it had Mayfield at signal-caller?

The question is, what type of contract will Mayfield command this coming offseason? Quarterbacks are obviously at a premium, so it’s entirely possible that he could end up securing a rather lucrative multi-year deal. On the other hand, his struggles in 2021 and 2022 may result in teams being cautious about handing him a long-term contract. A one or two-year deal is definitely possible, especially if the contract is sweetened with incentives.

One way or another, the Vikings are going to have to address the quarterback position this spring. Whether that means bringing back Cousins or heading in another direction remains to be seen, but if it’s the latter, Mayfield would be a great option. That is, of course, if the Bucs don’t choose to lock him up themselves.

Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.