NFL analyst connects Russell Wilson with Vikings this offseason

The Minnesota Vikings may not be bringing Kirk Cousins back into the fold, which could open the door for them to sign Russell Wilson as a replacement.

ESPN’s Seth Walder thinks that is a strong possibility, saying that Wilson could be the “next-best short-term solution” if the Vikings do move on from Cousins.

Wilson is currently under contract with the Denver Broncos but is widely expected to be released in the coming weeks.

The Broncos benched Wilson for the final two games of the regular season after the quarterback declined to defer his injury guarantee, signaling the veteran’s exit.

Wilson actually played solid football in 2023, throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 66.4 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 98.

Denver initially acquired the nine-time Pro Bowler in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022. Wilson then proceeded to trudge through the worst season of his career in his debut campaign in the Mile High City. While he was significantly better this past year, his contract and his tenuous relationship with head coach Sean Payton have all but sealed his fate with the Broncos.

The Vikings have long been expected to retain Cousins this offseason, but recently, a schism seems to have developed between both sides over Cousins’ value.

Minnesota has said that it wants to keep Cousins, but not at the expense of its long-term financial flexibility. Cousins seems to be okay taking a hometown discount, but probably not the type of paycut that the Vikings are hoping.

Russell Wilson will be earning $39 million from Denver next year regardless of where he goes, so Minnesota could theoretically (and actually realistically) sign him to a veteran’s minimum deal, which would give them an experienced, effective quarterback while still maintaining some financial freedom.