NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

NFL 2022: Predicting the starting QB for all 32 teams pre-NFL Free Agency

By Sayre Bedinger

NFL 2022; NFC quarterback Russel Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks (3) passes the ball against the AFC during the third quarter during the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
NFL 2022; NFC quarterback Russel Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks (3) passes the ball against the AFC during the third quarter during the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 33
Next
NFL 2022
NFL 2022 – Cleveland Browns; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

2022 NFL QB predictions for the AFC North

Cleveland Browns: Trade for Kirk Cousins

There have certainly been some rumors surrounding the Cleveland Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield, but I am not certain I think he’s going anywhere just yet.

The Browns have an opportunity to sort of reset with their weapons on offense in the 2022 offseason. This roster is pretty well set to make a run in the AFC but they need the QB position to be solidified.

For the purposes of this exercise and in the spirit of predicting the majority of some rumored trades to happen, I’m bringing Kirk Cousins to the Cleveland Browns for the 2022 season.

Spoiler alert, this means Baker Mayfield is headed to the Minnesota Vikings.

More on that later.

There are some pretty obvious connections between the Vikings and Browns these days that could lead pretty much anyone to put two and two together here. Kevin Stefanski was a top offensive assistant and OC for the Vikings when the team acquired Kirk Cousins and he coached him for two years there before joining the Browns.

The Vikings recently hired former Browns front office executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah as their new GM, so just like we saw with the Rams and Lions last year, we could see a similar deal to send Cousins out of the NFC altogether and over to the Browns.

In theory, Cousins would be the Browns’ version of Matthew Stafford and Mayfield would be the Vikings’ version of Jared Goff. Of course, neither is a player comparison, but a situation comparison.

The Browns may view a guy like Cousins as the missing piece and they have a player they could send back to the Vikings that would make this trade reasonable.

Home/NFL