Head coach Kyle Shanahan has a history with Cousins and envisioned him as the eventual quarterback for the 49ers upon landing the head coaching job. That was the plan — get to the point where the team could sign Cousins. That was until Jimmy Garoppolo became available.
Shanahan loves Cousins. As much as fans don't want to hear it, whenever rumors surrounding a Cousins trade emerge, San Francisco will be discussed.
Actually, whenever trade rumors surround any quarterback, the 49ers are going to be discussed. That's because of Garoppolo, who wins football games but can't consistently stay on the field. Despite leading San Francisco to a Super Bowl during the 2019 season, the quarterback has missed significant time over the past three seasons.
Rapoport was asked point-blank on the Pat McAfee Show if Cousins will be the quarterback for the 49ers next season (h/t to Alex Espinoza of NBC Sports).
"I don't sense that at all," Rapoport responded. "I would never say anything is impossible, as you guys know. This NFL world has basically taught us that anyone can be traded. That one, I would be really surprised about for a couple of reasons.
"One, I'm not sure that benefits the Vikings. And I don't know that Cousins is an upgrade over Jimmy G. Like, when they're both healthy, and they're both playing, are we sure Cousins is that big of an upgrade for what it's going to cost?"
If social media is any indication, a trade for Cousins would be heavily criticized by 49ers fans, who have never fully understood Shanahan's infatuation with the quarterback. Despite initially owning the No. 2 overall pick (the Niners would eventually trade down one spot) in 2017, San Francisco didn't heavily look into drafting a quarterback because of the plan to eventually acquire Cousins. That meant passing on talents like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
Oh, and the 49ers used that top pick on defensive lineman Solomon Thomas. Then they drafted quarterback C.J. Beathard in the third round.
One edge Cousins does have over Garoppolo? Durability. Cousins has missed just one start in the past six seasons, and that one game was a meaningless Week 17 game in 2019. The Vikings' playoff position had already been determined by then. By comparison, Garoppolo has missed 23 games over the past three years.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Kyle Shanahan explains why the 49ers abandoned the run against the Lions
The San Francisco 49ers leaned heavily on the passing game as Monday night's matchup against the Detroit Lions progressed. Of quarterback Brock Purdy's 24 second-half plays, 22 were pass attempts. On Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan discussed the decision to shift away from... -
49ers' Nick Bosa hilariously explains viral exchange with Dolphins' Mike McDaniel
After Sunday's game at Hard Rock Stadium, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa and Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel shared a lighthearted postgame exchange on the field. "Good to see you. Congrats," Bosa told McDaniel. In response, McDaniel quipped, "Thanks,... -
49ers mailbag: Why did SF abandon the run against Detroit? Will the 49ers focus on offense or defense this offseason? Will SF replace Nick Sorensen with Robert Saleh?
There are a lot of questions that will follow the San Francisco 49ers into the offseason. Who will get extensions? Who will be let go? What moves will they make in free agency and the draft? And many more. You have questions, as well, and that's a good thing because we opened... -
No Huddle Podcast: Brock Purdy's Future & Why the 49ers Need Big Changes on Defense
(Episode 399) — Brian Renick and Al Sacco discuss the defensive efforts from Monday's loss to the Lions, the poor draft strategy with defensive players, who the 49ers could target to fix the defense, Brock Purdy's contract demands, Brian's hypothetical trade at QB, and...