Panthers Have Contacted Vikings About Potential Trade For Kirk Cousins?

Judd Zulgad of SKOR North reported on Monday’s “Purple Daily” podcast that the Panthers contacted the Vikings about a potential trade for QB Kirk Cousins. 

“They have gotten a call. Now, from what I’ve heard, it went nowhere so far,” Zulgad said, via PanthersWire.com. “But it’s interesting that the phone did ring at TCO [Stadium] in Eagen and on the other end of the line . . . the Carolina Panthers.

“Quarterback-desperate. Panicked, I’m sure. I think if Matt Rhule and the Panthers don’t have a successful 2022, he’s probably going to be fired ’cause that has not worked out. They cast their lot, in 2021, with Sam Darnold—didn’t work out. And so I’ve heard that the Panthers . . . now the Vikings supposedly said ‘Hey, let’s put a pin in that conversation. We don’t plan to move him now.’”

Vikings’ new HC Kevin O’Connell said that he is planning his offense around Cousins and expects him to be their starter. 

“Well, I know he’s under contract and I’m excited to coach him,” O’Connell said, via Courtney Cronin of ESPN. “We’ve already started thinking about how we’re going to build those systems for him and our other quarterbacks and really the tremendous skill group that we have, our guys upfront. It takes all 11 to move the football on offense, to run it, to throw it, to score points in the red zone. But I’m anticipating Kirk being a part of what we do.”

Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah reiterated that they are “focused on building” around Cousins. 

“I’m excited that he’s excited to coach him and lead him, and we’re focused on building the team around him to set us up to succeed the best we can,” Adofo-Mensah said.

Even so, the Vikings will have to do something with Cousins’ contract this offseason, as he’s set to count a staggering $45 million against the cap. 

As for Carolina, the expectation has been that they will be back in the market for an upgrade at quarterback one year after they traded for Sam Darnold and later picked up his fifth-year option. 

The draft could ultimately prove to be the Panthers’ best opportunity to add a quarterback, barring a trade scenario for someone like Deshaun Watson. 

Cousins, 33, is a former fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2012. He played out the final year of his rookie contract before being franchised in back-to-back seasons. 

Cousins later departed in free agency for a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings. He was entering the final year of his contract when he agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension in 2020.

In 2021, Cousins appeared in 16 games for the Vikings and completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. 

We’ll have more on Cousins and the Vikings as the news is available.