NFL analyst speculates Kirk Cousins could be traded in 2020

ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio recently threw out a scenario where the Minnesota Vikings current quarterback ends up with the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.

Year one of the “Kirk Cousins Experience” definitely didn’t go as planned for the Minnesota Vikings last season. The Vikings had championship goals in 2018 and they failed to even qualify for the playoffs during their first season with Cousins starting under center.

Given the length of the deal he signed with Minnesota, 2019 is going to be a very vital year for Cousins. His performance during the upcoming season will likely determine if the Vikings will want to keep him around after his contract runs out in 2021 or not.

Despite Cousins only having one year in Minnesota under his belt, some believe that his time in the Twin Cities could possibly be over even before his current deal expires.

ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio recently threw out a ludicrous scenario where the Vikings trade Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers next year if Jimmy Garoppolo has another disappointing season in 2019.

"“If the Vikings decide after two years that they’re not interested in going beyond three years with Cousins, the Vikings could explore a potential trade partner for Cousins, even if it means eating a portion of his contract.And the Vikings may, depending on what happens in San Francisco this year with Jimmy Garoppolo, find that trade partner in Kyle Shanahan, who served as Washington offensive coordinator in 2012 when Cousins was drafted and who had been regarded as a serious Cousins suitor before the decision to trade for and then to sign Garoppolo to a five-year deal that pays out, on average, $27.5 million per year.”"

Maybe Florio has been playing a little too much Madden lately, because this idea is something straight out of a video game. There are a number of reasons why this certain scenario seems highly unlikely to ever happen.

One, Cousins has a no-trade clause in his current contract with Minnesota. So even if the 49ers and Vikings were able to agree to terms on a trade, the quarterback has the right to just say no thanks and play out the rest of his deal in purple.

Two, sure Cousins has a connection to current San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan. But if Garoppolo and the 49ers end up underperforming again in 2019, it seems very likely that the team would give Shanahan his termination papers.

Three, how does Minnesota benefit from this scenario? We’re just going to assume that the Vikings would rather go with a rookie or a free agent quarterback instead of the guy who threw 30 touchdowns last year?

Obviously, this is the least eventful portion of the NFL offseason. So this is normally the time when crazy scenarios like usually pop up because there is really just not a whole lot to talk about.

Florio, a Vikings fan, is also going to jump at any opportunity he can to suggest that Minnesota get rid of Cousins as soon as they can. He also wrote something back in February suggesting that the Vikings could trade Cousins and re-acquire Case Keenum this offseason.

So as much as it may bother Florio, Keenum isn’t’ coming back to Minnesota anytime soon. Cousins is the Vikings’ current starting quarterback and he probably will be in 2020 as well.