The Vikings did not acquire an obvious heir apparent at quarterback this offseason, drafting Jaren Hall in the fifth round. But they did not work out a third extension with Kirk Cousins, either, creating uncertainty at one of the league’s most consistent quarterback positions.
Cousins has not missed a game due to injury as a Viking and has been Minnesota’s starting QB for five seasons. The Vikings have not seen such stability here since before Daunte Culpepper‘s 2005 ACL tear, when the former first-round pick operated as Minnesota’s starter from 2000-04. But Cousins is going into a contract year and, thanks to how his Washington tenure ended, the Vikes have limited options ahead of the 2024 league year.
Because Washington franchise-tagged Cousins twice, he would be eligible for a 144% raise from his 2023 terms. No player as been franchise-tagged for a third time since the Jaguars cuffed safety Donovin Darius from 2003-05, with the league since making it disadvantageous to tag a player on three occasions. While Cousins’ cap number is just $20.25MM, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes the third-tag rule is believed to apply to his pre-restructuring cap number ($36.25MM). That would create a $52.2MM 2024 tag. Absent another extension before the ’24 legal tampering period, Cousins would be free to speak to other teams, putting the onus on the Vikings to hammer out a solution.
Cousins has said he wants to stay in Minnesota, and he has signed two extensions — the first in 2020, the second last year — since the market-accelerating $84MM fully guaranteed contract that brought him to the Twin Cities in 2018. The Vikings are not ruling out another Cousins contract, but the 12th-year passer is not expecting the Vikings to go through extension talks.
“I think we’ll probably talk about the contract next March,” Cousins said, via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert. “Until then, [we’ll] just focus on this season and the job to do right now.”
Although Cousins is going into his age-35 season, he still could wield some leverage — a tool he has used effectively throughout his career. Washington tagged Cousins in 2016 and 2017, and his path has been mentioned when other QBs — like Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson — take unorthodox routes toward extensions. Void years are present on Cousins’ deal, helping reduce his 2023 cap hit to that $20.25MM number, meaning the Vikings would be on the hook for a $28.5MM in dead money if they do not extend their QB1 before the start of the ’24 league year. This will increase Cousins’ leverage and, in the event the Vikings want to go in another direction, apply pressure on the team to find a successor in 2024.
The Vikings attempted to trade up for Justin Fields in 2021 but have not been proactive at quarterback during Kwesi Adofo-Mensah‘s GM tenure. Cousins remains in place as the team’s unquestioned starter, and the team gave him a second first-round wide receiver — Jordan Addison — to pair with superstar Justin Jefferson.
While the Buccaneers have Baker Mayfield tied to a one-year deal, Kyle Trask is also an option to start for Tampa Bay. Ryan Tannehill is entering the final year of his contract, but the Titans traded up for Will Levis in Round 2. Cousins is the only other starting quarterback entering a walk year, placing the Vikings in their own boat here.
Why they kept this bum and cut Dalvin is beyond me.
I think most things are beyond you, Kirk is a consistently good QB who led a high powered offense last year to a 13 win season with one of the worst defenses in the league. Dalvin while still great is an aging RB who was getting paid a ton of money in a league where high paid running backs aren’t worth it. Running back by committee is the way to go, I mean how far did any of the top paid backs take their teams, Chubb, Henry, Cook? The Vikes will definitely miss Cook but he was a luxury they couldn’t afford.
^^This right here, 100%. Look around the league right now and look at all of the free agent RB’s that are available. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that paying over $10M on an RB just isn’t worth it.
“Most things are beyond me” ok genius. The guy you’re defending is a below average QB who’s brought them to the playoffs twice in 5 seasons with an astounding playoff record of 1-2. Maybe when you’re trying to flex, make an intelligent argument. I’ll wave next time I go through the drive thru.
“One of the worst defenses in the league.” He said that right? Kirk isn’t the greatest, but the offense has carried the team on its own, which makes a 13 win season a valuable bullet point on Kirk’s resume.
Cousins is a stat padding QB who constantly boosted his QB rating in trash time over his career playing against 3rd strings when games were over.
Last year – the OL held so he could stand still and throw. That doesn’t win a Super Bowl which is what it’s all about. The defense is falling apart just to support cousins. A good QB would have already won with the players they put with him.
It’s like AR over the last years forcing GB to gut the team for him, but then they couldn’t win. So he left, but he won super bowls with less than the Vikings have had recently. (Also not a really mobile QB, but knows when to get out of the pocket)
Because in the last 5 years or longer even , no team is pissing money away on a rb that wears out by around 27/28.
Qb’s and Edge rushers and CB’s are the most in demand positions. I would never sign a rb to another contract after the rookie deal is up.
And all the Cousins haters out there need to realize the Vikings have about 15 positions that are in need of improvement before worrying about him. The D sucks arse in almost every way. And C / G play has been terrible as well.
The fact remains that BOTH sides agreed to the contract that was eventually signed by Cook. The Vikings releasing Cook is a classless act by an organization that is well regarded for taking care of their players, for standing by their players and for valuing the off-field commitments of their players. Just as bad as a player holdout over wanting to renegotiate a contract that had been agreed upon and signed by both sides.
Dalvin and his people aren’t idiots. They know that if the money isn’t guaranteed, he may get cut. Actually, I think pretty much everyone knows that. You’re right, they both agree to the contract that allows him to be cut.
You are a god damn moron!
As much flak as Cousins gets he’s still one of the better QBs in the NFC and in a weak division they could easily win as long as their Achilles heel (defense) isn’t completely booty juice.
He gets flak because if you watch the games, he hasn’t been good. Any QB in the league could throw to Jefferson. Cook led the way to several wins last season.
Cousins doesn’t have any winning spirit. He starts to play late in games through his career so he looks good on paper. That’s made him a lot of paper.
If he wanted to win he’d want to improve defense. Instead he has forced the team to pay him a ton, and make sure he doesn’t have to take too many steps per play. Whose ever heard of a QB that could run and avoid a tackle anyway, that’d be crazy… oh nvm Super Bowl winning qbs do.
Not sure the amount of hate this guy gets is mind boggling to me. He’s better than most