Why the Vikings should consider trading for Nick Foles

Adding a veteran backup behind Kirk Cousins like current Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles is something the Minnesota Vikings should think about.

During his entire tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins has yet to miss a game due to injury. Cousins is one of the most durable quarterbacks in the NFL and it’s one of the reasons why he’s been able to remain a starter in the league for so long.

Despite his durability, he still plays one of the most violent sports in the world for a living. So there is always a chance of injury each time he’s out on the field.

Currently, if Cousins is forced to miss a game during the upcoming season, the Vikings do not have an experienced quarterback on their roster to fill in for him. With a good amount of spending money left, Minnesota might want to consider figuring out a way to acquire a veteran passer who could help them avoid a disaster if Cousins is lost for a significant amount of time in 2021.

Minnesota Vikings should think about making a deal for Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles

In Week 10 last season, the Vikings headed out on the road to take on the Chicago Bears in a Monday night matchup between two NFC North rivals. Starting under center for the Bears was Nick Foles, a quarterback who helped the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl inside Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Vikings held Foles in check for most of the game, and then with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, the Chicago quarterback was forced to leave the contest after getting injured on a play that ended with him getting thrown to the ground.

That game wound up being the last time Foles started for the Bears last season.

Since then, Chicago has signed Andy Dalton, drafted Justin Fields, and let Mitchell Trubisky walk out the door. Dalton and Fields are expected to open the 2021 season as the top two quarterbacks on the Bears’ depth chart, leaving Foles at No. 3.

Depending on how many signal-callers Chicago decides to enter the upcoming season with, Foles could be released, or the Bears might attempt to trade him before their first matchup of the year.

If the veteran passer hits the trade market, the Vikings should be among the teams interested in making a deal for him.

During the majority of his career, Foles has been at his best when he’s filling in as a backup. Even though he’s approaching the end of his time in the NFL, he’s still capable of helping a team get a win or two when needed.

As much as some would like to see one of the Minnesota quarterbacks that are already on their roster like rookie Kellen Mond, Jake Browning, or Nate Stanley fill in for Cousins if he gets hurt, there’s no guarantee that any of them could succeed as a replacement-level starter, even if just for a short period of time.

Foles would give the Vikings some additional experience in the team’s quarterback room, something they are currently in need of. He would also only cost Minnesota $4 million to acquire him in a trade.

Of course, Chicago might not be interested in shipping Foles to one of their division rivals. It really just depends on how badly the Bears want to get rid of him before the start of the 2021 season.

If the Vikings can acquire Foles in exchange for a sixth or seventh-round draft pick, then that would definitely be a deal for them to seriously think about.