Former Jets GM: Kirk Cousins Trade 'Makes a Ton of Sense' After Aaron Rodgers' Injury

Former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum suggested Friday that the Jets should consider making a trade offer for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Tannenbaum, who was the Jets' GM from 2006 until 2012, said on ESPN's Get Up that a trade for Cousins "makes a ton of sense" for Gang Green (beginning at 4-minute mark of video):

In New York's 22-16 season-opening overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on the Jets' fourth play from scrimmage and was lost for the season.

The Jets went all in during the offseason by acquiring the 39-year-old Rodgers in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in hope of ending the NFL's longest active playoff drought of 12 years.

Zach Wilson replaced Rodgers on Monday and led the Jets to a come-from-behind win, but the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft has already been labeled a bust by most and seems unlikely to help the Jets maintain their previous status as a Super Bowl contender.

Cousins has often been ridiculed for not winning big games or performing well in the playoffs during his 12-year NFL career with Washington and Minnesota, but he has been a highly productive player with four Pro Bowl selections to his credit.

That includes each of the past two seasons, as the 35-year-old veteran threw for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2021, and 4,547 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 picks last season.

Cousins is off to a spectacular statistical start in 2023, throwing for 708 yards, six touchdowns and one interception through two games, but the Vikes are 0-2.

Minnesota fell 34-28 to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night, and while Minnesota is far from out of it at this point of the season, trading Cousins could become a consideration at some point.

Cousins' contract expires at the end of the 2023 season, so if the Vikings continue to lose, vying for a high draft pick and a shot at a top quarterback like USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye could become more attractive to the organization.

Tannenbaum said the Jets should start inquiring and offer up a third-round pick for Cousins if the Vikings get off to a 1-3 or 0-4 start, which is well within the realm of possibility now that they already have two losses.

Cousins undoubtedly has his flaws, but he is a solid quarterback who would almost certainly give the Jets a better chance to win, make the playoffs and vie for a Super Bowl than Wilson.