The Vikings remain intent on re-signing longtime quarterback Kirk Cousins, but don’t be surprised if they explore other options on the quarterback market.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler reported on the latest free agency buzz coming out of the NFL Combine and loosely tied the Vikings to two other quarterback options should they be unable to re-sign Cousins: Justin Fields and Baker Mayfield.
Graziano expects the Atlanta Falcons to make a “strong pursuit” of Cousins in free agency and said he was told that he’s their top quarterback solution, even ahead of the Chicago Bears’ Fields.
Fowler, meanwhile, said that one high-ranking executive told him that while the Vikings want to extend Cousins, they won’t “live or die by that desire,” which leaves the door open for the Vikings to explore other quarterback options.
One of those options is the Bears’ Fields. Fowler expects the Vikings, as well as the Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders to be “on the radar” for Fields. Fields, however, is not a free agent, so landing Fields would require a trade. As the Vikings’ division rival, the Bears’ asking price for Fields would likely be quite steep.
Fowler also loosely tied the Vikings to Mayfield, who is the second-best quarterback option on the free agent market after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a division title during a season in which he threw for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 picks.
But any Vikings pursuit of Mayfield likely only comes if a deal for Cousins is untenable. Fowler’s exact wording was that “it wouldn’t be a shock if the Vikings got involved should Cousins leave.”
Fowler had the Buccaneers and New England Patriots as more likely options to sign the former No.1 overall draft pick.
