Carson Wentz trade adds layers to Vikings' Kirk Cousins trade question

In terms of shockwaves around the NFL, Wednesday's trade sending quarterback Carson Wentz from Indianapolis to Washington didn't register as much as Tuesday's Russell Wilson deal and Aaron Rodgers' decision to stay in Green Bay.

But the Wentz trade did add several new layers to the question of what the Vikings should do with Kirk Cousins.

I talked about those factors on Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast, but let's get into them in a little more detail now.

*First, it helps further set the market for what Cousins might fetch in a trade if the Vikings decide to go that route (a possibility that CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora said Wednesday "would not surprise" him).

While Wentz and Cousins are very different players, their relative strengths and weaknesses add up to a fairly similar composite.

Cousins has the edge in durability and consistent production. Wentz can make more plays with his feet, is younger and probably has a higher "ceiling" — but a lower "floor" than Cousins. Both of them essentially have one year left on their contracts at comparable cap hits for trading teams.

Washington dealt two third-round picks (one of which becomes a second-rounder based on how much Wentz plays in 2022) as the primary part of the trade.

I would set a second- and third-round pick as the baseline for any Cousins trade. I think the Vikings could get a little more, but that is minimum (unless there are players that come back as part of a deal as well).

*Indianapolis trading Wentz also means there is another team with a QB need on the market. And the Colts are very well-positioned to go after Cousins.

After clearing all of Wentz's cap space, they have nearly $70 million in room — the most in the NFL. They have an excellent running game led by Jonathan Taylor and they would have been a playoff team last year if not for a late slump caused in part by Wentz's subpar play.

*And finally, the Wentz trade to Washington serves as a bit of a cautionary tale. ESPN noted in its Wentz trade story that the Commanders quarterbacks have the worst Total QBR and fewest TD passes in the league since 2018. That coincides with when they let Cousins walk and he signed with the Vikings.

As Brad Childress told me on a recent podcast episode, if you don't have a "guy" at QB, you're always looking for one. Cousins is a known commodity. and there is no guarantee the Vikings would find a suitable replacement anytime soon.