The Minnesota Vikings continue negotiations to bring back Kirk Cousins, largely regarded as the best QB who might hit free agency later this month. But if they don’t, the Vikings may immediately get in the game for the No. 2 signal-caller likely to hit the market.

ESPN’s Chris Fowler reported on Sunday, March 3, that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield will draw interest from multiple teams, including the Vikings.

“While Cousins is undoubtedly the top option should he leave Minnesota, Mayfield is clearly the No. 2 free agent passer,” Fowler wrote. “It wouldn’t be a shock if the Vikings got involved should Cousins leave.”

Fowler added the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons among the likely landing spots for Mayfield should he fail to reach an extension with the Bucs.

Baker Mayfield Will Cost Vikings Less Than Kirk Cousins, Offers History of More Playoff Success

Ari Meirov of 33rd Team confirmed last week that the Bucs will not use the franchise tag to hold onto Mayfield, which made it far more likely that he will reach the official start of free agency on March 13 still unsigned.

“The #Bucs won’t use the franchise tag on Baker Mayfield, which would allow him to become a free agent if he wants to,” Meirov said. “His situation feels very similar to what Seattle had with Geno Smith last year.”

Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on February 22 also pitched Mayfield as a sensible option for Minnesota should Cousins hit the open market, which appears more and more likely as negotiations between he and the Vikings have hit an impasse over guaranteed money.

“Rather than paying Cousins top dollar for flashy regular season numbers and inevitable playoff disappointments, the Vikings should instead consider Baker Mayfield for the job,” Kay said, per SKOR North’s X account.

Mayfield will be the cheaper option, according to current market value projections. Spotrac projects the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 pick in 2018 is worth a four-year contract with a total value of $108.5 million ($27.1 million annually). The website projects Cousins’ market at three years and $118.1 million ($39.3 million annually).

Mayfield is 2-2 as a playoff starter over the course of his six-year NFL career, while Cousins is 1-4 in the postseason over 12 professional campaigns. Cousins has been the more successful regular-season player from a statistical standpoint, though Mayfield produced a career year in Tampa Bay in 2023, completing 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards, 28 TDs and 10 INTs, per Pro Football Reference.

Vikings ‘Have Limits’ Within Desire to Re-Sign Kirk Cousins

The Vikings and the Falcons are probably the top two contenders for Cousins.

Assuming one lands him, the other will be a strong candidate to sign Mayfield in free agency or perhaps trade for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, per reporting from both Fowler and his ESPN colleague Dan Graziano on Sunday.

Both squads are also primary contenders to trade up with the Patriots at No. 3 or the Washington Commanders at No. 2, assuming the latter is interested in moving off that pick, in an attempt to secure a franchise rookie prospect — likely Jayden Daniels of LSU or Drake Maye of UNC. Minnesota picks at No. 11 overall, while Atlanta holds the No. 8 pick, per Tankathon.

The dominoes will fall quickly and could begin with Cousins re-upping with the Vikings. And while that is Minnesota’s goal, according to Fowler and Graziano, the franchise isn’t making Cousins its everything.

“The feeling around the league is that Minnesota is hopeful, they want to do a deal with Cousins but they’re not going to live and die by it,” Fowler reported. “They’re going to have limits here.”