Kirk Cousins’ deal with the Minnesota Vikings is fully guaranteed, so by the time the 2019 season begins, there may be a new starting quarterback in town.
The Vikings are reportedly serious about finding a new franchise quarterback, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. He also suggested that the best way to accomplish this could be to use wide receiver Justin Jefferson as the centerpiece of a trade package that can help them enter that specific dialogue.
According to The Viking Age’s X account on Monday, February 19, Florio stated, “[The Vikings] want, I believe, a franchise quarterback and trading Justin Jefferson could be the key toward getting the return to move up [in the draft], if that’s what they want to do.”
Anywhere in the league, the Vikings may try to sell Jefferson and receive back at least a couple of first-round picks.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell stated in October 2023 that the Vikings “probably would be able to nab two first-rounders and a mid-round pick or a starting-caliber veteran if they decided to rebuild from the ground up and trade him,” though he didn’t think Jefferson would land three first-round picks in a trade.
With their own No. 11 pick and two other first-round selections (one in the top half of this year’s draft and the other with good 2025 projections), Minnesota should be able to have real talks with teams like the New England Patriots at No. 3.
On February 10, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network stated that Chicago would need to make a “historic haul” in order to drop out of the #1 pick in the draft. In exchange for the top pick in 2023, the Bears received two firsts, two seconds, and receiver DJ Moore from the Carolina Panthers.
Jefferson, who is valued at two firsts and a mid-round pick through Barnwell, along with two further firsts from Minnesota (No. 11 in 2024 and a first-round pick in 2025), feels as much
