Breaking News: Vikings is set and all plans are on to sign Baker and a replacement of Cousins

The Vikings may be looking to pursue a change at quarterback, with Kirk Cousins looking likely to leave in free agency.

The NFL offseason presents plenty of opportunity for fans to witness plenty of roster churn, with many familiar faces set to ply their trade in new places. For the Minnesota Vikings, it looks like they will be making a huge change in the coming months following a disappointing 2023 season, with the team looking to replace veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins amid rumors linking the 35-year old to a move to the Atlanta Falcons.

Now, there are a few routes the Vikings can pursue to get a new starting quarterback in the event that they trade away Cousins to the Falcons. And one likely route for them to take is to sign a replacement via free agency. According to BetOnline’s latest odds, the Vikings have emerged as the favorite to sign Baker Mayfield from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with their odds to do so being set at +200.

Report: Baker Mayfield Has Support From Staffers of Unexpected AFC Team

The Vikings, however, will have some competition for Mayfield’s services. Rounding out the top five most likely teams to sign the Buccaneers quarterback are the New England Patriots (+400), the Falcons (+600), Denver Broncos (+700), and Las Vegas Raiders (+700).

It’ll be interesting to see if the other teams can beat the Vikings and Buccaneers to Baker Mayfield’s signature. The Patriots’ quarterback situation remains in flux as they look to begin the Jerod Mayo era in style, the Broncos have a need at quarterback following the release of Russell Wilson, while the Raiders are looking to make a big splash with the impending departure of Jimmy Garoppolo.

But after a 7-10 season in 2023, it seems like the Vikings want a better and younger option at QB, and Mayfield, who is coming off a strong season with a Buccaneers team that made it all the way to the NFL Divisional Round in the playoffs, looks like an upgrade over Kirk Cousins, who is already 35 years of age.

Mayfield, according to analysts, is likely to sign a contract worth around $100 to $120 million over four years; with how Cousins’ contract is structured, the Vikings have to act quickly to address their QB situation, as they need to sign him to an extension prior to March 13 lest they carry a dead cap figure of $28.5 million. But that doesn’t appear likely to happen, hence the Mayfield links.

NFL rumors: Russell Wilson could be Vikings backup plan if Kirk Cousins leaves

A potential Russell Wilson deal could be on the table assuming Kirk Cousins departs from the Minnesota Vikings

The past months have been troubling for Russell Wilson in terms of his relationship with the Denver Broncos. After a contract dispute and a mid-season benching, the quarterback was finally released from the team on Monday. Now, all the talks surrounding the former Super Bowl champion revolve around his potential next move.

The topic was discussed on the Pat McAfee show, where McAfee and Michael Lombardi spoke about Wilson being an option for the Minnesota Vikings assuming Kirk Cousins departs from the team.

Russell Wilson in casual clothes, Minnesota Vikings logo

“I think that Cousins, unless somebody blows it out of the water, I think Minnesota’s going to be in it, but where does Minnesota go if they don’t sign him back,” Lombardi said, via Pat McAfee’s official X (Twitter) account. “I think they’re going to look at somebody like Russell to buy time until they get the next quarterback”

At the moment, rumors are swirling around a potential Kirk Cousins move to the Atlanta Falcons, so a Russell Wilson deal could actually be possible for the Vikings. Lombardi theorized that Wilson will be getting a minimum contract, so a potential low-income signing will give the Vikings financial flexibility considering the Broncos are obliged to pay any remaining amount from Wilson’s contract (minus the amount of his prospective new team’s contract of course).

Presently, the Vikings have $37 million in cap space and Wilson is owed $39 million by the Broncos. If Cousins leaves and Wilson signs with the Vikings for a league minimum, Minnesota will have the financial capability to exercise options as a Justin Jefferson extension and the bolstering of their defense while keeping Wilson until they draft their next quarterback.

Still, Wilson has other potential destinations so only the coming weeks will tell if the QB will indeed end up with the Vikings or not.