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Browns and Vikings could come together on massive QB trade

By Sayre Bedinger

Cleveland Browns offseason; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Cleveland Browns offseason; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /
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Now that the Minnesota Vikings have hired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as general manager, could they and the Cleveland Browns come together on a QB trade?

Almost exactly one year ago, the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams came together on a trade that has had a massive effect on the 2021 NFL season. In fact, it might have been a championship-winning move for Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, because Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football we have seen him play…ever.

Quarterback movement across the board seems to be at an all-time high. The Minnesota Vikings just hired away executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from the Cleveland Browns as their general manager, which has some eerily similar vibes to the Detroit Lions’ hiring of Brad Holmes away from the Rams a year ago.

Not long after Holmes was hired by the Lions, he came to terms with his former team on a blockbuster deal involving incumbent Lions QB Matthew Stafford going back to his former team, the Rams.

Do you think there’s any coincidence of that? Maybe Stafford really wanted to join the Rams last offseason and would have asked to go there regardless. But it also feels like the Lions passed up on offers that could have been better than what the Rams did just to get Stafford to Los Angeles.

Could a similar type of deal go down in 2022 with Adofo-Mensah joining the Vikings’ front office and shaping both the coaching staff and roster? It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility, especially with some precedence in place.

Specifically, what I’m talking about would be a swap of Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield between the Vikings and Browns, almost exactly like what the Rams and Lions did with Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford last year.

Kevin Stefanski has history with the Vikings, of course, and not only that but he has also coached Cousins already.

The Browns could send the Vikings Baker Mayfield with just one year remaining on his rookie deal along with some draft choices for Cousins, who would seemingly be an upgrade over Mayfield, at least in the short term.

The Browns’ roster is at a spot right now where they can’t really afford to be held back by the quarterback position, nor could they really take the risk of passing up on an opportunity to get a QB like Cousins who could really put them in a great position this coming season.

Cousins may not be the most exciting acquisition a team could make, but just like we’ve seen with Stafford in Los Angeles, the situation a quarterback is in matters as much as anything.

Cousins could thrive in Cleveland while Minnesota actually might be a great spot for Mayfield as well with Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen at the wide receiver position.

Nothing is guaranteed to happen, of course, but the fact that Stefanski worked in Minnesota and now Adofo-Mensah is making the calls with the Vikings after working in Cleveland, you can easily connect these dots.

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