Patriots Rumors: 4 replacements for Mac Jones to save New England's future

2. Kirk Cousins

The Minnesota Vikings came awfully close to starting the season 0-4, which would be a death sentence as far as playoff hopes are concerned. Pulling off an 8-point victory over the winless Carolina Panthers felt like pulling teeth at times, but Minnesota was able to get it done.

If the Vikings drop to 1-4, though, we might be having a conversation about the future of this team. And, next week, Minnesota gets to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. They very well could be staring at a 1-4 record, with questions regarding quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Cousins' contract is up after this year, and the Vikings could look to trade him for some type of return before ultimately moving on next year. He's proven he is still a good quarterback in this league, and even leads the league in touchdown passes with 11. He's third in passing yards with 1,214.

Even after being blown out by the Cowboys, New England's defense still remains the 10th overall unit in football in terms of yards given up per game (297.0). They have good pieces on offense and a defense that is good enough to win games. Maybe, a trade for Cousins could be enough to not only save this season but the foreseeable future, should the Patriots decide to give him an extension.