Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Kirk Cousins wants to find a QB1 opportunity before the NFL trade deadline, per reports. His former team, the Minnesota Vikings, seems to need a quarterback, and it’s caused some speculation as to whether or not he could return to Minneapolis. But would it be a good move for both sides?

I think it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Let’s look at how we got here to see where we shouldn’t be going.

Why is this even a thing?

The Vikings entered the year with playoff aspirations. After finishing 2024 with a 14-3 record, they were kicked around in the Wild Card round and were sent home. It was a wildly disappointing ending to a great season, and despite their success, they got rid of Sam Danrold.

The Vikings wanted to lean into their future. They’d just drafted J.J. McCarthy the year prior, and after recovering from his ACL tear, he was ready to start in 2025. Unfortunately, after a pretty solid start, McCarthy suffered a high-ankle sprain and has been sidelined for six weeks with the injury.

Carson Wentz has been the starter ever since. He’s 2-3 as a starter this year, and now the Vikings are 3-4 on the year and are staring down the barrel of a losing season. Fortunately, McCarthy is slated to return this week, so the second-year man out of Michigan will get the third start of his career on Sunday.

However, just days before he’s supposed to come back, rumors are swirling that Cousins wants to be traded, and the Vikings could be a potential landing spot. I just don’t think the move makes a lot of sense for either side.

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It would be horrible for McCarthy’s development

J.J. McCarthy was drafted to be the future quarterback of the Vikings’ franchise. He’s supposed to be the guy who gets them back in Super Bowl contention, and bringing in Cousins would only hurt his development.

The Vikings have already lost 1.5 years of development due to injuries. Of the 25 games the Vikings have played since McCarthy was drafted, he has been available for two of them. He’s only 22 years old, which works in their favor, but that’s still a ton of time lost where he could be gaining experience both on the practice field and in real game situations.

Keeping him on the bench for the rest of the year would only hurt his development even further. Plus, he’s got a four-year rookie contract with a fifth-year option built in. Most guys negotiate an extension between the fourth and fifth year of their rookie deal, so if they traded for Cousins and started him the rest of the season, the Vikings would realistically have two years to decide if McCarthy is their franchise guy (and that’s if he doesn’t get hurt again).

For all those reasons, I think trading for Cousins would be a horrible idea, but if you’re not convinced, I still have more.

The Vikings are not going to win the Super Bowl with Cousins

It would be one thing if the Vikings were a Kirk Cousins away from winning the Super Bowl, but they’re not. This is not the same Vikings team that went 14-3 last season. They are much worse on both sides of the ball, and while their offense could improve slightly with Cousins, it’s not enough to overcome their defensive deficiencies.

In 2024, the Vikings had one of the best defenses in football. They allowed 19.9 points per game, which ranked fourth in the league, and they ranked top 10 in opponent rushing yards per game, rushing yards per attempt, and sacks.

That has changed this year. In 2025, the Vikings’ defense now ranks 19th in points per game, 24th in rushing defense, and 13th in sacks. The defense that could carry them to wins when their offense wasn’t playing well is no longer there. Adding Cousins to the mix may help them score another point or two per game, but it won’t be enough to make much of a difference.

Cousins carries a massive cap hit

Cousins also brings with him a massive contract. The Falcons signed him to a four-year, $180-million deal last offseason, and he has a cap hit of $40 million in 2025, $57.5 million in 2026 and 2027. There is an option for him to get out of the contract after 2026, but that 40-million-dollar hit doesn’t look good.

Obviously, the Vikings wouldn’t have to pay for it all. When trades occur, teams negotiate how much money each side is going to pay, which can directly impact trade compensation. Either way, there’s no reason for the Vikings to take on any extra money this year for a quarterback that won’t help them out all that much and will only stifle their young quarterback’s development.

Kevin O’Connell could be losing the locker room, and this wouldn’t help

Reports are swirling that Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell is losing the locker room after the way he managed Carson Wentz’s injury. Wentz had been dealing with a shoulder injury, but O’Connell urged him to play, and now he’s out for the season and will undergo shoulder surgery.

That’s the type of stuff a locker room hates. Players don’t want to see their teammates “heavily encouraged” to play through injuries. We’ve seen how damaged NFL players’ bodies are after they retire, and this new era of players doesn’t want to be unable to walk or think straight after their career is over.

If O’Connell is actually losing the locker room, bringing Cousins in won’t help. It would feel like a desperate move, especially when they have a young quarterback they’re supposed to believe in. Showing confidence in McCarthy would not only show him you believe in him, but also show the team that they should believe in their young signal caller.

Why the Vikings should trade for Cousins

There’s always another side to every story, so let’s talk briefly about why the Vikings should trade for Cousins (even if I don’t believe they should).

No matter what the fanbase wants, NFL teams always want to win football games. It doesn’t matter if a team is 1-15 and on the verge of securing the No. 1 overall pick. If they have a chance to win a game, they’re going to do so. People’s jobs are on the line, and they’re never going to lay down and accept defeat.

If the Vikings truly believe that Cousins can turn their season around and help them make the playoffs, they should do it. We talked about the reports that O’Connell is losing the locker room after he mismanaged Wentz’s injury, so if he’s feeling some pressure and believes this is the best way to turn things around, they need to make this move.

But why would they trade for Cousins and not someone else?

Well, Cousins is familiar with the system after spending six years in Minnesota, two of which came under O’Connell. He wouldn’t have to spend multiple weeks learning the playbook, plus he has a close connection with Justin Jefferson, the Vikings’ star wideout.

All of those things would play a factor in Cousins’ return to Minnesota. Even if I don’t think it’s the right idea, the NFL’s a business, and people are trying to make sure they don’t get fired. If they believe this is the best move for their job security, they’re going to pull the trigger.