Kirk Cousins 'makes the most sense' for the NY Jets in a trade

Despite the NY Jets' continued commitment to Zach Wilson, it's become painfully evident that the team must make a quarterback change in the near future. Could that change come in the form of four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins?

It isn't to find a viable quarterback in September. The Jets could easily add an upgrade over Wilson in free agency, but the likes of Colt McCoy or even Carson Wentz likely aren't going to lead the Jets to a Super Bowl. There's no replacing Aaron Rodgers with a quarterback off the street.

Cousins, however, would represent a significant upgrade for the Jets. He would give the team a borderline top-10 quarterback who can realistically allow them to compete in 2023.

But is Cousins even a realistic option? Would the Minnesota Vikings even entertain an offer? Right now, it seems unlikely, but ESPN's Adam Schefter seems to believe that there could be some smoke to these rumors.

Kirk Cousins might actually be an option for the NY Jets

Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday to discuss the latest with the Jets' quarterback situation, and when asked about the Cousins rumors, he insisted that the Vikings QB "makes the most sense" as a possible target for the Jets.

Now, Schefter did tell McAfee that "there's nothing to" the rumors right now. The Vikings aren't ready to punt on their season, which is exactly what they'd be doing if they traded away Cousins. Still, there might be something here.

Cousins is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, and the expectation around the league, according to Schefter, is that he'll be playing elsewhere in 2024. This is likely Cousins' final season in Minnesota.

The Vikings currently sit at 0-3 to start the season, and while they're probably a bit better than their record suggests, if the losses continue to pile up, there's at least a chance they would consider trading Cousins to recoup assets.

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The Jets can financially afford the move, too. Trading for Cousins would cost the Jets right around $10 million in 2023 cap space — a figure they can manage. Finances shouldn't be an obstacle.

The issue could come with the timing. The Jets need a quarterback upgrade now, and it's hard to imagine the Vikings are ready to punt on their season after three games. Cousins is more than likely a trade-deadline target if he's on the market at all.

That poses an issue for a Jets team that really shouldn't waste any time bringing in a quarterback as soon as possible, despite what head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Monday.

Kirk Cousins remains a pipedream for a quarterback-starved Jets team, but there is at least a glimmer of hope that he could become a reality. This is a situation that bears monitoring over the next few weeks.