I’ve yet to write it here. Given that it’s being attributed to me pretty much everywhere else because I said it somewhere (maybe on PFT Live, maybe elsewhere), I might as well type it up and hit “publish.”
At the Scouting Combine, there were rumors of a potential trade that would have sent Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins to the 49ers.
Cousins has been linked to San Francisco from the moment Kyle Shanahan became the head coach. Kyle served as offensive coordinator in Washington when Kyle and his father, Mike, drafted Cousins in 2012. And Kyle has admitted that he planned to sign Cousins in 2018, with the 2017 trade for Jimmy Garoppolo derailing that intention.
Obviously, it didn’t happen. Cousins restructured his contract with the Vikings. And the 49ers added Sam Darnold to a depth chart that includes Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. At this point, a trade of Cousins would result in a $38.75 million cap charge for the Vikings -- nearly twice the $20 million for which Cousins currently counts.
The more likely outcome would be the 49ers finally pursuing Cousins when he becomes a free agent in March 2024. That will depend on whether Purdy or Lance become the entrenched starter over the course of the next 11 months. And whether the Vikings finally decide to move on from a guy who has been good enough, but not quite great.