The Minnesota Vikings are in their offseason mode, and as Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell prepare to start their third seasons, this is a critical moment for the team.
NFL free agency begins in the middle of March, and the Vikings must decide whether to make a trade at quarterback or not, which will have a significant impact on the team’s future. When Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8 at Lambeau Field, it may have been his final play with the Vikings. It’s also conceivable that the Vikings intend for Cousins to be the focal point of their attack till his retirement.
This is a summary of the two possibilities: the reasons they should let him walk or why they should use every effort to bring him back.
The Resignation of Kirk Cousins Case
at 2018, cousins arrived at Minnesota on a fully guaranteed three-year contract worth $84 million. After six years with the Vikings, he was playing at an MVP-caliber level when he sustained an injury. Up to Week 8, his 2,331 throwing yards and 18 touchdowns were the most in the NFL. He has three Pro Bowl appearances with the Vikings, and in 2022 he assisted in leading the team to a division championship.
Justin Jefferson, who has flourished in his first three seasons after receiving touchdown passes from Cousins, needs to sign an agreement with the Vikings as well. Adofo-Mensah has stated that he wants Cousins back on a mutually beneficial agreement, and Cousins has stated that he wants to remain in Minnesota. It is likely that cousins will demand a minimum of two further years, with full guarantees, and a minimum of $40 million every season. Even if that seems high, this season’s NFL top-10 was hardly reached by that number.
We got to see the personable side of Cousins during the Netflix documentary “Quarterback.” He’s a father to two boys, a devout Christian, a husband and an all-around good dude. He’s a unanimous captain chosen by his teammates, he has a great relationship with O’Connell and won this year’s “Media Good Guy” award. The Vikings can bring Cousins back on a multi-year deal and still find a quarterback in the NFL Draft for when his career ends.
LETTING KIRK COUSINS WALK: THE CASE
Cousins may pursue a contract with almost any team that is looking for an experienced quarterback if he so chooses. The Atlanta Falcons are the team of choice there. In order to acquire a top quarterback, there is already talk that the Vikings, who own the No. 11 pick in the NFL Draft, may want to move up to the Chargers’ No. 5 pick. They might sign the future quarterback for the team, albeit on a rookie deal. Defensive concerns need to be addressed by the Vikings, particularly if Danielle Hunter leaves in free agency.
In addition to paying Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw, the Vikings also need to determine whether Harrison Smith will return and whether to recruit defensive talent to replace Brian Flores.
Can you win a Super Bowl together for a number of years with Cousins? The answer to that is unknown to us. In six seasons, Cousins has guided the Vikings to two postseason trips and only one victory. The fact that his response isn’t a resounding “Yes” could be significant in predicting his destiny.
The Vikings have a big decision to make, and as the NFL Combine approaches, we should learn a lot more.