EXCLUSIVE: Vikings Landing Spot for Super Bowl MVP, Former $120 Million QB
It is seeming to be Kirk Cousins or bust for the Minnesota Vikings at QB in 2024, however a surprisingly strong contender possibility to take command of Kevin O’Connell’s offense has arisen throughout the last month.
The Cleveland Browns have secured an AFC season finisher billet on the strength of a four-game dominate streak captained by resurgent quarterback Joe Flacco, who has tossed for 300 yards in four sequential games. Following Cousins’ achilles injury, Flacco contacted the Vikings prior to signing with the Browns and expressed interest in joining the team. In any case, Minnesota repelled the quarterback, which has since demonstrated an impressive mix-up.
Flacco is headed with the expectation of complimentary organization in Spring and has proactively declared his aim to play for two additional years. The issue, in any case, is that the Browns actually owe presently harmed quarterback Deshaun Watson the compensation on the last three years of his completely ensured $230 million agreement. Thusly, it is impossible Flacco will be back in Cleveland next season except if the Browns mount a Super Bowl run throughout the following month.
Flacco is additionally apparently inspired by an amazing chance to begin one year from now, which the Browns likely can’t offer him. The Vikings, in any case, will actually want to do so in the event that they don’t bring Cousins back in 2024.
Minnesota ought to likewise be an appealing choice for any free specialist QB sought after, including Flacco, because of the pass-getting corps of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and TJ Hockenson playing under O’Connell’s powerful hostile framework.
Before signing with the Browns, Joe Flacco expressed serious interest in joining the Vikings. On December 28, Darren Wolfson of KSTP reported that Flacco had contacted the Vikings two months earlier regarding the vacant quarterback position. However, Minnesota did not share his enthusiasm for a partnership.
“He needed to be here,” Wolfson composed on X. “Vikings got that message before October 29 transformed into October 30. They weren’t intrigued.”
Instead, in order to acquire quarterback Josh Dobbs, Minnesota traded a late-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the Vikings’ 2024 sixth-round pick.
Before replacing Dobbs with Nick Mullens, the Vikings gave him a 2-2 record. Mullens went 0-2 and will watch from the sidelines on Sunday as rookie quarterback Jaren Hall makes his second start of his career against the Green Bay Packers in a game that needs to win.
Cousins is the more probable decision for the Vikings in 2024 when contrasted with Flacco because of multiple factors.
To start with, he has six years of involvement with Minnesota and has the frank help of Jefferson. At the time of his injury, Cousins, who was 35 years old and was playing the best football of his career, was leading the NFL with 18 touchdown passes.
Cousins, a four-time Genius Bowler, has likewise been an impressively preferable and more important quarterback over Flacco throughout recent years. However, unlike Cousins, who will be in 2024, Flacco has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league over the past month. Flacco has finished 60.3% of his passes for 1,616 yards, 13 scores and 8 block attempts across five games played, per Master Football Reference.
The QB likewise has a Super Bowl MVP (2012) on his list of qualifications from his experience with the Baltimore Ravens and played almost lastingly in the postseason over his initial seven NFL crusades, making him a definitely more refined season finisher quarterback than Cousins.
If Minnesota decides to go that route, Flacco will likely cost the Vikings significantly less than Cousins. Flacco marked a $120.6 million arrangement with the Ravens in Walk 2013, following his Super Bowl win, which was the most extravagant agreement in association history at that point. Be that as it may, he endorsed with the Browns on only a $2.5 million arrangement in 2023.
While Flacco is sure to request more in free organization, he isn’t probably going to approach the $35 million Cousins procured from the Vikings in 2023. Cousins may not order that much in yearly compensation pushing ahead, yet he’s probably going to convey more procuring power into 2024 than Flacco.
