If Kirk Cousins ends up leaving the Vikings this month — which continues to look like a real possibility — they could be in the market for one of the top two veteran consolation prizes at the quarterback position: Justin Fields and Baker Mayfield. Either could serve as a high-end bridge option, perhaps while being paired with a rookie QB.
Fields is widely expected to be traded by the Bears, who hold the No. 1 overall pick and the opportunity to draft Caleb Williams. Mayfield, who made his first Pro Bowl last year and led the Buccaneers to a playoff victory, is the second-best free agent quarterback on the market. Those two, along with Russell Wilson, will be among the most intriguing veteran options for the QB-needy teams who don’t sign Cousins
The Vikings trading for Fields, who they’ve seen up close for the last three years, would be fascinating. He’s a dynamic runner who shows flashes with his arm but still hasn’t put it all together consistently, going 10-28 as a starter (albeit with tough circumstances around him). Would he fit what Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings want to do on offense?
Mayfield is four years older than Fields and more accomplished as a passer. He’ll be seeking a sizable raise this offseason after a strong performance with Tampa Bay that saw him finish third in comeback player of the year voting. Mayfield would be a downgrade from Cousins, but he’s the next-best option in a free agent QB crop that also includes Gardner Minshew, Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, and Jacoby Brissett.
“It wouldn’t be a shock if the Vikings got involved (with Mayfield) should Cousins leave,” Fowler wrote in the same notebook.
