The Minnesota Vikings have started the 2023 NFL season with an 0-3 record, and their prospects moving forward are looking bleak.
They have arguably the best wide receiver in football in Justin Jefferson. However, they’re bereft of the services of star running back Dalvin Cook and stud wideout Adam Thielen, both of whom left during the offseason, and a rebuild may be in order, especially given that Jefferson is just 24 years of age.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has come up often in trade rumors lately. The one team he has been linked to the most is the New York Jets, who are floundering after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles and can’t possibly like the idea of going through another season with Zach Wilson under center.
However, is it possible Cousins will instead campaign for a trade to the Atlanta Falcons? Phil Mackey thinks so, and he outlined why that may end up happening.
“Kirk Cousins’ wife was born and raised in Georgia,” said Mackey. “She went to the University of Georgia in Athens, and Kirk and Julie were married, almost 10 years ago, in Georgia. They have family in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Atlanta is a much more similar market to Minneapolis in terms of, like, it’s kind of a middle market in the NFL.
“If it’s between the Jets and New York and pressure cooker and all of that stuff — and Kirk is very comfortable in Minnesota, he’s from Michigan, he’s a Midwestern guy. Family is very important to him. He takes Tuesday off every week to be with family. Atlanta makes so much more sense than the Jets in this conversation, especially if Kirk is the one, which he is, that can decide on the no-trade clause or not.”
Playing for the Jets would mean the team’s Super Bowl hopes would be at least somewhat resurrected. It would also mean high expectations for Cousins and the team as a whole, and that would open him up to the intense scrutiny of the New York City area media and tabloids.
On the other hand, the Falcons are a team that doesn’t have any real aspirations right now. They’re currently 2-1, have a dazzling rookie running back in Bijan Robinson and a solid RB2 in Tyler Allgeier plus a solid defense. They’re on the ground level, and it could be a low-pressure situation for Cousins, not to mention an opportunity to be in a market he’s familiar and comfortable with.
However, Kirk Cousins is 35 years of age, so he wouldn’t be a long-term solution for Atlanta. He’s in the final year of his contract, and it would be interesting to see if the Falcons would re-sign or extend him should they actually end up trading for him.
