Kirk Cousins trade to Jets would spell disaster for Packers

Trading Kirk Cousins would make sense for the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, but the Green Bay Packers would be big losers.

Minnesota is winless, having lost its opening two games in the span of five days. New York defeated the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 but lost star quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the season. Following the Vikings' loss on Thursday Night Football, talk of a Cousins trade to the Jets continues to heat up.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports wrote about why a Cousins-to-Jets trade could make sense, and it's hard to disagree. Cousins has a year remaining on his deal, so the Jets could get short-term help at QB before Rodgers returns in 2024. Minnesota moves forward with draft capital and saves cap space.

It would make sense for the Vikings and Jets, but the Packers have to hope it doesn't happen.

Kirk Cousins trade to Jets would be bad news for Packers

There are two major reasons why this trade would hurt the Packers.

One is the 2024 draft pick they will receive from the Jets. Green Bay has already lost out on a first-round selection following Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury. They will now receive New York's second-rounder. The more games the Jets lose, the better for the Packers.

Cousins would give the Jets a significant upgrade on Zach Wilson. Despite the Vikings' record, Cousins has made a fast start to the season, throwing for 708 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. With Cousins, the Jets would win a lot of games.

Even more concerning is the potential long-term impact on the Vikings.

While trading Cousins effectively waves the white flag for the current season, it could pay off huge for Minnesota in the years to come. Without Cousins, the Vikings become a realistic contender for a top-five draft pick. And, who knows, maybe they even end up with the No. 1 overall selection.

Quarterback Caleb Williams is the top prospect in next year's draft. He has superstar potential in the NFL. In his past 17 games at USC, Williams has thrown for 5,415 yards, 54 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.

The thought of Williams throwing to Justin Jefferson is scary.

In an ideal world, the Vikings keep Cousins and win enough games to miss out on a top draft pick but not enough to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Jets struggle without Rodgers, landing the Packers a top-10 pick in the second round of the draft.

Minnesota trading Kirk Cousins to New York would ruin it. A lower draft pick is bad enough, but the Vikings entering the conversation for Caleb Williams can't happen.

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