With many quarterbacks being shipped to different teams this offseason, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could be the next one to find a new home. There are a few potential destinations for Cousins, but one that stands out is the New England Patriots.
Cousins, who threw for 4,265 yards and 35 touchdowns last season, could be seen as an upgrade to a Patriots team that recorded only 12 passing touchdowns in 2020.
In their first season in the post-Tom Brady era, the Patriots struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position. To replace Brady, the Patriots brought in Cam Newton, who threw for 2,657 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 15 games in his first season in Bill Belichick’s offense.
2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham also received significant play as signal caller last season. Stidham recorded 256 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in five games of action. With free agency looming, Stidham will be the only quarterback under contract with the Patriots unless Newton re-signs with them before the new NFL year begins on March 17.
With the Patriots having the third highest cap space at $64.59 million, this offseason could be a perfect opportunity for them to make a splash in the quarterback market by acquiring Kirk Cousins.
On the other hand, the Vikings have one of the worst salary cap situations in the league at $13 million under. Part of the reason why the Vikings are in this hole is because Cousins and the Vikings agreed to a two-year, $66 million extension in 2019 that keeps him under contract until 2022.
Due to their salary cap situation, the Vikings can’t afford to sign a big-time quarterback in free agency and will likely have to wait until the draft if they were to move on from Cousins. With a quarterback-heavy draft class, the Vikings might find themselves in a position to draft an upgrade over Cousins, so don’t be surprised if the Vikings and Patriots become trade partners on draft night.
