Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
Leading up to their Week 8 matchup, the Minnesota Vikings fan base was calling upon the front office to make a blockbuster trade for a star running back such as Jonathan Taylor, Breece Hall, or even Saquon Barkley. After seeing Kyler Murray struggle while the team generated fewer than 300 yards for the fifth time in seven games while scoring just 15 points, there’s now a sense that a quarterback upgrade is what’s needed to take this 27th-ranked scoring offense over the top.
While it’s difficult to make a QB change, especially to someone who’s not even inside the organization, thus hasn’t learned the scheme or built chemistry with receivers, there’s one player who could be an ideal fit to steady this ship. Yet, quarterbacks, especially those who are playing well, are not only hard to find, but teams don’t necessarily want to trade them. However, all it takes is an offer too good to refuse to change a team’s mind, much like when the Chicago Bears paid two firsts to pry Jeffery Simmons out of Tennessee.
Now, the Vikings are being urged to make an offer that’s just too good to refuse for a four-time Pro Bowl QB who already knows coach Kevin O’Connell’s system and has chemistry with Justin Jefferson. Win-win, right? Like everything in life, that depends on the price, and this one is arguably just too high.
Matthew Berry Advises Minnesota Vikings to Trade First-Round Pick for Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins
Nov 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) gets instruction from head coach Kevin O’Connell in the first quarter game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
While it’s clear the Vikings need to find a spark offensively, the question is how? That’s what coach O’Connell and his staff are likely working through right now. Yet, it’s possible first-year general manager Nolan Teasley is doing that same thing, trying to identify trade candidates who can give this team a boost.
In turn, should the Vikings turn back to an old friend, Kirk Cousins? That’s complicated, as he’s currently thriving, ranking second in the NFL with 19 touchdown passes this season for a 4-4 Las Vegas Raiders team that doesn’t appear quite ready to turn over the reins to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
Then again, sometimes all it takes is a really strong trade offer to change a team’s mind.
On Wednesday, Roku’s fantasy football expert Matthew Berry suggested that the Vikings should make an offer for Cousins that is definitely too good to refuse: a first-round draft pick.
“If I’m Minnesota, I give the Raiders a first for (Kirk) Cousins.”
The Minnesota Vikings’ Super Bowl window is OPEN. They need to go all in. #Pregame on @Roku #FFHappyHour https://t.co/Xgfv89zlK3
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) November 4, 2026
That’s arguably a ridiculous price to pay, especially for a 38-year-old quarterback. Then again, it would also be an extremely strong vote of confidence in everyone in the Vikings’ building (everyone except Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz) that this group is fully capable of winning a Super Bowl. Which, based on Brian Flores’ elite defense, Berry could be onto something here.
Still, a first-round pick feels like far too rich a price to pay for someone that the team could have signed in free agency just months prior. Yet, there are a lot of reasons why adding Cousins right now makes a ton of sense for Minnesota.
For one, he’s thriving, knows the offense, and is comfortable targeting Jefferson. Two, Cousins would buy the Vikings more time to find a franchise quarterback. He’s excelling this year; Cousins just might be able to repeat his success next season too. Either way, the Vikings will surely look under every rock for a new signal-caller this offseason, possibly even using their first-round pick on another young draft prospect.
But again, then they could sit that prospect behind Cousins, much like the Raiders are doing with the No. 1 overall pick, until said youngster is clearly the better option. Trading for Cousins makes a lot of sense for a division-leading Vikings team, but still, a first-round pick is far too much.