Kevin SeifertESPN Staff Writer11. Oct 2023 4:11pm ET3 minute read
Should the Vikings trade Kirk Cousins for Justin Jefferson?
The “Get Up” crew debates Justin Jefferson on IR about whether the Vikings should move on from Kirk Cousins.
EAGAN, Minn. – Kirk Cousins gave a very Kirk Cousins-like answer when asked about an intensifying public discussion about the possibility that the Minnesota Vikings might try to move him elsewhere before the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline for sale.
“You know, I’m just really focused on the Bears and getting 1-0 this week,” Cousins said Wednesday. “And anything else is not worth my time, energy or attention.”
When Cousins was first asked if there was a scenario in which he would consider waiving the no-trade clause in his contract, he declined to elaborate on that premise.
His contract is set to expire next March, after the franchise announcement deadline, meaning he has a guaranteed path to the free-agent market if he wants to.
The Vikings have lost four of five games and will be without superstar receiver Justin Jefferson (hamstring) for at least four games after he was officially placed on injured reserve on Wednesday.
According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Vikings have twice the chance of going in the top 10 of the 2024 draft (41.5%) than making the playoffs (20.3%), which is popular with media and fans raises the question of whether the team would attempt to release players at the trade deadline.
Cousins would have to waive his no-trade clause to make a deal possible, and he made it clear Wednesday that he didn’t want to add to the public discussion about it.
In fact, he insisted that he was completely unaware of the public discussion.
“Ignorance is a blessing,” Cousins said, “and I’m just really ignorant. I don’t really have access to much, and I try to do that on purpose. So it’s pretty intentional.”
“Aside from high school friends who might text me about who they’re reading… I really don’t know what’s going on. I’ve been so isolated at times that I’ve been naive and a bit stupid, but I’d rather err on that side than devour it all. … It takes your focus away from what’s important and what helps you play well.”