Free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers may or may not want to hitch the Minnesota Vikings over the Pittsburgh Steelers this spring, however there was no indication coming off the Easter vacation that the Vikings wish to begin Rodgers over 2024 first-round draft decide J.J. McCarthy.
For an article printed on Monday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter indicated individuals with the Vikings and Steelers have not slammed the door shut relating to a potential commerce for present Atlanta Falcons backup Kirk Cousins. Cousins misplaced his beginning job to 2024 rookie Michael Penix Jr. this previous December.
“Atlanta has requested for any buying crew to pay $20M of the $45M value of ensures left on Cousins’ contract,” Schefter defined. “Up to now, no crew has been prepared to try this, and no crew is anticipated to be prepared to. However what occurs this weekend — and which franchises come out of the draft with or with out rookie quarterbacks — might affect how a lot assured cash a crew could be prepared to soak up on Cousins’ contract. There’s a feeling across the league {that a} crew, whether or not it’s the Vikings or Steelers, could be prepared to pay down roughly $10M.”
Whereas Cousins beforehand performed properly below Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell from September 2022 up till the 36-year-old suffered a torn Achilles in October 2023, Cousins additionally has a full no-trade clause connected to his contract and reportedly doesn’t want a team involved in buying him to pick out a quarterback within the first spherical of the upcoming draft. That stated, he could not have a plethora of choices obtainable to him if it is true that the Cleveland Browns aren’t interested in buying and selling for his providers.
One would assume O’Connell would solely push for a Cousins commerce within the occasion that McCarthy has a tough spring as he continues to recuperate from the full meniscus repair that sidelined him for all of final season. In the meantime, Pittsburgh could draft a quarterback similar to Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart within the first spherical on Thursday night time.
Maybe Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin might persuade Cousins to relocate to the Metal Metropolis by promising the veteran he’ll begin over longtime backup Mason Rudolph and a first-year professional via a minimum of a portion of the 2025 season. Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe are to-be rookies who’ve been linked with the Steelers and are thought of tasks for the longer term who ought to sit behind a confirmed starter this fall.
“How a lot any crew could be prepared to pay additionally would affect the compensation it offers up,” Schefter added a couple of membership probably buying and selling for Cousins. “The upper the cost, the decrease the draft compensation; the decrease the cost, the upper the draft compensation. The Falcons and Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, acknowledge their future isn’t collectively, and the way it will play out might very properly be influenced by this draft.”
Briefly, Rodgers could not wish to wait an excessive amount of longer to simply accept any supply he is acquired from the Steelers except he is prepared to probably lose that gig to Cousins as quickly as the ultimate weekend of April.
