The Minnesota Vikings have found themselves in a hole at 0-3. Poor offensive line play, a porous secondary, and a -7 turnover differential are the main reasons for the disappointing start in Minnesota. 

Kirk Cousins cannot be blamed for the start. Sure, Cousins has more turnovers than you'd like, but he also has the most passing yards and passing touchdowns in the league thus far. 

Couple the Vikings disappointing start with Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury, and people start to ask question. Would the Vikings consider trading Kirk Cousins? Today, I want to go over the pros and cons of a potential Kirk Cousins and then deliver a final verdict on what the team should do. 

Pros of trading Cousins

There are a few pros to trading the veteran QB. For one, the Vikings would likely get multiple picks in return. This is a roster that needs a talent and youth injection across multiple positions. Adding draft capital and freeing up cap space should both be priorities. 

Another positive would be getting to see what the team has in other players. Nick Mullens would likely take over starting duties, but the team would likely give Jaren Hall some opportunities as well. Either way, trading Cousins will result in more losses and ensure the team doesn't end up with a mid-first round pick. 

If the Vikes decide to hold on to Kirk, or he refuses to waive his no-trade clause, the team will almost assuredly miss the playoffs this season and watch the QB walk for nothing this offseason. The last time an 0-3 team made the playoffs was the Houston Texans in 2018. 

So to recap the pros of trading Cousins: adds draft capital, frees up cap space, likely results in a worse record and thus secures a better first-round pick in 2024, and seeing what you have in Jaren Hall. 

Cons of trading Cousins

While we went over several pros of the move, there are several cons as well. For starters, one con would be the message that gets sent to the team. Everyone on the roster would know the plan is to lose for the rest of the season and that could kill team morale. Cousins is a leader in the locker room and all indications are his teammates love him. 

Another con would be that the team is likely punting on the 2024 season as well. If Cousins is traded, the Vikes will definitely be looking at a first-round QB in the 2024 NFL Draft. Not many teams compete immediately with a rookie QB starting. If the Vikings can't win with Cousins throwing for 400 yards, they likely won't win with Mullens, Hall, or a 2024 rookie either. 

So to recap the cons of a trade: You'd be giving up on this season and likely 2024 as well, and team morale would be affected negatively. 

Final verdict

There are more pros than cons to trading Cousins. Trading the veteran would be the best thing for the team’s future. When Cousins was extended this offseason, it became clear that the QB would not be around past 2023. Why keep him and let him walk for nothing, especially when you’ve started out 0-3? 

While I think trading Cousins is the right move, I'm not convinced the Vikes would actually do it. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made it clear that he does not have think highly of tanking. Trading Cousins mid-season would definitely be tanking. Would Adofo-Mensah really be bold enough to punt on this season, even if it would be the best option in the long run? I'm not so sure. 

Another factor to consider is the Justin Jefferson contract situation. Jefferson is the best receiver in football and will need to be paid to reflect that. Would Jefferson be less interested in re-upping with a tanking team who is about to have a rookie QB? It's something to consider. 

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