The Minnesota Vikings have to start thinking about their future at quarterback.
Their struggles this season have encapsulated just how uncertain things are outside of Kirk Cousins, a pending free agent this offseason. Even with mutual interest between the team and Cousins in his return next season, he will be 36 years old and coming off a torn Achilles.
Minnesota will be picking 11th overall in the draft in April after finishing their season with a 30-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.
But the Vikings could be better set up to take on a reclamation project than banking on one of the quarterbacks in this class to fall to them. And New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones would certainly fit the description.
Vikings get:
– Mac Jones
Patriots get:
– 2024 sixth-round pick
Patriots answer with a @MacJones_10 to @Hunter_Henry84 TD! #ForeverNE
📺: #WASvsNE on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/d4RDZpcMkc pic.twitter.com/haXWNzctad— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2023
“Will the Patriots find a trade partner for Mac Jones this winter,” wrote Micahel Ginnitti of Spotrac on December 27. “Will they pay him his fully guaranteed $2.78M salary as a buyout? Or will they keep him in the fold to compete as needed? Current QB1 Bailey Zappe sits on a non-guaranteed $985,000 minimum salary next season.”
Jones just wrapped the third year of a four-year, $15.6 million contract.
Mac Jones Could Regain Rookie Form With Trade to Vikings
Jones, who will be just 26 years old by the 2024 season-opener, completed 67.6% of his passes for 3,800 yards and 22 touchdowns as a rookie. The Patriots went 10-7 that season. But they have not been able to coax more out of Jones since.
His numbers have fallen each season while his interception rate has climbed to a career-high 3.5% this season.
Former Patriots safety Devin McCourty insisted Head Coach Bill Belichick has not done enough to develop Jones, either directly or with a proper supporting cast, during an appearance on “The Greg Hill Show’” in December. That would not be an issue with the Vikings who have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at receiver.
Add in a healthy T.J. Hockenson and that’s a trio of strong options in the passing game.
The Patriots will select No. 3 overall in the draft, potentially setting them up to take one of the top quarterbacks, and potentially create a path.
Ginnitti predicts the Patriots flip Jones to the San Francisco 49ers for a seventh-round pick. The Vikings have multiple picks in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds. They should be able to outbid any other potential suitors for Jones on the trade market.
Vikings QB Room in Flux
Ginnitti also projects the Vikings to lock up Cousins with an extension for another $80 million fully guaranteed over the next two seasons
Nick Mullens is still under contract, and Ginnitti predicts a return as the top backup. But the Vikings can get out of that with only $375,000 in dead cap space this offseason, per Spotrac.
There is also fifth-round rookie Jaren Hall, who Head Coach Kevin O’Connell still believes in.
None of them – or Joshua Dobbs if he is brought back – should close the door on adding Jones, the No. 15 overall pick from just three draft cycles ago. Especially if the cost is not prohibitive, just as Ginnitti expects.
Jones can learn the offense behind Cousins if the latter indeed returns. And, if not, perhaps O’Connell can get Jones back to — and build off of — his encouraging rookie season.
