If the New york city Jets desire any possibility of restoring this season, they requirement to make a relocation for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Coming off of the heels of their thrilling overtime success over the Buffalo Expenses in their season opener– the exact same video game in which they lost Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles injury– the Jets returned down to earth as they were flat-out controlled by the Dallas Cowboys, 30-10, in Week 2.
While the Jets’ formerly highly-regarded protective system stopped working to reveal, Zach Wilson– who led the game-tying drive goal drive throughout the 4th quarter in the win over the Expenses– likewise stopped working to impress, when again revealing he’s no place near near to being a feasible beginning quarterback.
And this is where Cousins enters into the image.
The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is presently leading a 0-2 Vikings team that looks like more of a restoring team than a competing one. Coming off of a season in which Minnesota won practically every close video game– Cousins led an NFL-record eight-game winning drives throughout the 2022 season– Minnesota is now on the incorrect end of things, having actually lost 2 one-possession video games to start the 2023 season.
With Cousins going through the last year of his agreement and the Vikings staying non-committal to the veteran quarterback, it’s time for Minnesota to move their beginning quarterback and obtain draft possessions that will assist them discover their next franchise quarterback.
Through 5 complete seasons as the franchise quarterback, Cousins has actually won one championship game– throughout the 2019 season– and the Vikings have actually plainly reached their ceiling with the 35-year-old blazing a trail.
It’s time for the Vikings to carry on. Which suggests it’s time for the Jets to swoop in.
New york city went into the season with high expectations after obtaining Rodgers. Nevertheless, those hopes were rapidly rushed when Rodgers was basically eliminated for the remainder of the year due to his ripped Achilles in the very first offending drive of the season opener.
Obtaining Cousins to couple with among the league’s leading protective systems might be the treatment.
Yet once again, Wilson had a hard time all video game. The young quarterback was pestered by a relentless Cowboys pass rush from the opening whistle up until the very end. Package rating reveals that Dallas left just 3 sacks on Wilson, however the data do not reveal the whole story.
As Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic explain, Wilson was pushed on 13 of his 27 dropbacks. Unsurprisingly, the 24-year-old didn’t fare too well when under pressure, going 4-for-10 for 34 lawns and one interception.
Even when Wilson wasn’t under pressure, there just wasn’t much to get thrilled about. Yes, Wilson revealed some chemistry with No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson for a 68-yard goal in the very first half. And yes, Wilson continued to reveal that he has some movement when the offending line breaks down, hurrying for 36 lawns on 5 brings.
Head coach Robert Saleh protected his young quarterback following the blowout loss, stating he did a “good task.”
” I believed he did a good task,” Saleh stated. “Clearly, late in the video game, he needed to require the ball to make something take place and, certainly, it didn’t go our method. There was a miscommunication on among his interceptions with him and the back. They have a hell of a front. He did a truly good task in the pocket, extending plays, rushing. He had a number of good off-schedule plays. It simply wasn’t sufficient.”
However the offense plainly has a ceiling with Wilson at quarterback. The young passer continues to battle with precision, turnovers and just sustaining drives. Not just did the Jets end up with simply 10 points on 11 offending drives, they turned the ball over on interceptions on their 3 last drives.
That suggests in the Jets’ 20 offending drives with Wilson under center– not consisting of drives ending in kneel-downs at the end of the half– New york city has actually scored an overall of 26 points. Simply 2 of those drives have actually ended in goals while 5 of them have actually ended in turnovers.
Simply put, the Jets are scoring 1.3 points per offending drive with Wilson under center. The typical points per drive throughout the 2022 season was 1.92 points.
While some media members are protecting Wilson, mentioning the Jets’ dull offending line and the young quarterback’s improved footwork, his turnovers and basic absence of execution isn’t any much better than it was last season.
It was the very reason the Jets benched Wilson several times in favor of profession backups such as Mike White and Chris Streveler last season. Heck, it was the very reason the Jets got Rodgers in the very first location.
Managing a trade for Cousins would certainly need him to waive his no-trade provision and it would imply the Jets would need to absorb his $20.25 million income for this season. Nevertheless, it deserves keeping in mind that the Vikings would most likely look after a few of Cousins’ income in any possible trade this season.
Thinking About Cousins is on the edge of most likely completing his Vikings profession with a non-playoff season, he would definitely invite a chance to have fun with a stacked defense and a legitimate No. 1 receiver in Wilson. Betting the Jets would represent Cousins’ finest chance at winning a Super Bowl to date.
While New york city most likely will not push the panic button in the coming days, they’ll have up until October 31– the trade due date– to choose whether they require to update at quarterback.
Sooner instead of later on, they’ll understand that Wilson– when again– is not the response. And possibly, simply possibly, Cousins can be that man for the Jets as they aim to restore the 2023 season.
Source: Forbes.