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Latest On Justin Jefferson, Kirk Cousins; Vikings Audition Colt McCoy

October 15th, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 15: In a full-length piece, Schefter reiterates his earlier point that Jefferson could miss the rest of the season if the Vikings are out of contention by the time he is healthy enough to return to the field. From a purely medical perspective, Jefferson stands to miss up to six weeks, and he will undergo imaging tests in four weeks’ time to determine his status.

OCTOBER 12: After going three-plus seasons without missing a game, Justin Jefferson is set to miss at least four. After a hamstring injury in Week 5, the Vikings placed the superstar wide receiver on IR. A few factors could determine Jefferson’s true return timetable.

The Vikings do not expect this injury to require more than the four-week minimum, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport; that would give Jefferson a Week 11 reentrance stage. Kevin O’Connell said (via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Ben Goessling) the team does not view this as a season-ending injury, though the second-year HC labeled it “significant” in nature. While hamstring injuries present potential for aggravation, they are rarely deemed as season-threatening maladies — at least, not at this point on the calendar. That said, both Keenan Allen and Darren Waller missed large chunks of last season due to hamstring ailments.

[RELATED: Jets Not Looking Into Trading For Cousins]

Jefferson’s summer contract talks may also play into this. After an early-summer report indicated the Vikings were fine tabling these negotiations to 2024, the team attempted a late push to extend the record-setting pass catcher before Week 1. These talks went up against the season opener but did not produce a deal. Despite T.J. Hockenson signing a monster tight end extension, the Vikings have their best player in Year 4 of a rookie contract. Although no team has picked up a wide receiver’s fifth-year option and extended him with two years of control remaining, the Vikings appeared close to breaking this precedent with Jefferson.

The team not doing so opens the door to the wideout playing this cautiously and, as ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter noted, the Vikes’ record by the time Jefferson is moving closer to a return could factor into these proceedings. After turning a negative point differential into a 13-4 season, the Vikings are 1-4 and potentially staring at some decisions before the trade deadline. The team already cut ties with a few veterans this offseason — Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, Za’Darius Smith — and has other names to monitor ahead of the deadline. Danielle Hunter is in a contract year, and Harrison Smith took a pay cut this offseason. Both Pro Bowlers would appeal to other teams, should the Vikings become serious about selling.

Regarding Jefferson’s contract situation, it is unlikely his value would diminish if he aggravated this short-term injury by coming back too soon. The 2020 first-rounder will enter the offseason in position to command an extension that separates him from his peers, presenting the Vikings with a potentially challenging negotiation. Jefferson’s stats will obviously take a hit this year, but a secure long-term outlook will allow him to take his time in recovering, especially if the team remains under .500 when he is due back.

Kirk Cousins could theoretically join Smith and Hunter as a high-profile trade chip, being unsigned beyond this season and agreeing to an offseason restructure that dropped his 2023 base salary to $10MM. But the sixth-year Vikings starter holds a no-trade clause. He has indicated several times he would prefer to stay in Minnesota and did not address the topic (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert) when asked if he would waive his clause to be moved this season.

The Vikings cannot realistically tag Cousins in 2024, due to the two Washington tags that led him to the Twin Cities in 2018, giving the team an interesting scenario with its longtime starter. Cousins, 35, can set himself up for yet another payday by playing well this season. With the QB not expecting to discuss another contract until after the season, the Vikes will soon find themselves in a time crunch. Jefferson’s absence stands to impact this, however, and it will be interesting to see if Cousins adjusts his stance if the Vikes continue to stumble.

Cousins reaching the market would put him in position for a fourth lucrative contract, and ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes an AFC exec mentioned Derek Carr‘s $37.5MM-per-year Saints deal as a good comp for Cousins. Then again, Cousins has posted better numbers than Carr and has navigated the financial landscape about as well as anyone in NFL history. But the ex-fourth-rounder will be going into his age-36 season in 2024, limiting his value to some degree. This process will put the Vikings to a decision, as Cousins’ abilities may lead to the team winning enough games to move out of realistic range to nab a replacement near the top of the draft.

The Vikings used a fifth-round pick on Jaren Hall in April; as of now, the BYU product is Cousins’ backup. Nick Mullens moved to IR on Wednesday, and ex-Cousins backup Sean Mannion returned to the practice squad. Prior to reacquiring Mannion, the Vikings worked out Colt McCoy, GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweets. McCoy, 37, has been a free agent since the Cardinals released him just before the season. While he was connected to both the Patriots and Jets recently, the journeyman backup is still unattached.

Vikings Not Expected To Trade Kirk Cousins

October 14th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings appear destined to become sellers at the trade deadline with a 1-4 record and star receiver Justin Jefferson on injured reserve. Even if the team is out of contention by the October 31 trade deadline, though, a deal involving quarterback Kirk Cousins should not be considered likely.

The four-time Pro Bowler is expected to remain in place through the 2023 season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Cousins would need to waive his no-trade clause for any deal sending him (and his expiring contract) out of Minnesota to be possible, and that remains highly unlikely at this point. He declined to offer a firm response regarding his long-term future with the franchise when speaking publicly about his situation, but it would not come as a surprise to see him play out the campaign in familiar territory.

Cousins has been with the Vikings since 2018, but his status beyond 2023 has been in doubt since it was learned extension talks would not take place until after the season. Both the team and the 35-year-old have expressed interest in continuing their relationship, and no clear-cut successor is in place on the Vikings’ roster. However, the team’s ability to turn a slew of one-score wins into a division title last season has not been replicated in 2023, and Jefferson’s hamstring injury will keep him out until at least Week 11. It remains to be seen how competitive Minnesota will be by that point.

Due to a restructure from this past offseason, Cousins carries a base salary of just $10MM this year, which would make his contract a fairly absorbable one. As Schefter notes, however, the “perfect storm” would need to be in place – essentially, a team with a familiar offense losing its starter to a major injury – for Cousins to reconsider his stance. The Jets’ season took an unexpected turn when Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear four snaps into his New York career, leading to speculation connecting them to Cousins.

No trade talk is believed to have taken place between the Vikings and Jets, though, and the latter squad remains committed to Zach Wilson under center. Projected buyers ahead of the upcoming deadline have a well-established signal-caller, and teams with uncertainty at the QB position are highly unlikely to have a desire to acquire Cousins for the second half of the campaign. The latter’s market could thus be limited regardless of how he and the Vikings fare in the near future.

Jefferson’s status will be worth watching with respect to the urgency the team shows in bringing him back considering their projected dire status in the standings when he is able to return. His pending mega-extension represents another complicating factor is his desire to come back to their field in what could be a lost season. Jefferson will, in all likelihood, at least have a familiar face at the QB spot if/when he next suits up, though.

Vikings Not Looking To Trade Kirk Cousins; Jets Have Not Inquired About QB

October 1st, 2023 at 10:33pm CST by Adam La Rose

After an 0-3 start to the season, many named the Vikings as a potential seller in advance of the 2023 trade deadline. Quarterback Kirk Cousins would be a notable trade chip in such a scenario, but that is not the case at this point.

[RELATED: 49ers Were Willing To Trade No. 2 Pick For Cousins In 2017]

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the Vikings “have no plans” of trading the 35-year-old (subscription required). Cousins’ future in Minnesota has been in question throughout the offseason, since 2023 marks the final year of his contract. Talks on a new deal are expected to take place after the season, and he has acknowledged his play this year will go a long way in determining his free agent value on a new Vikings pact or one in a new home.

Optimism has been expressed on both sides that another short-term arrangement can be made. Cousins has played on a fully-guaranteed three-year, $84MM pact after joining the team in free agency, as well as a two-year, $66MM extension. He will make $30MM this season as a result of the restructured deal which has him on track for free agency. As a rental, there would no doubt be a number teams interested in adding him.

One of those would be the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets, of course. As Russini notes, however, New York has not called Minnesota about Cousins’ availability, and it is unlikely that will change any time soon. The Jets have signed Trevor Siemian to serve as another veteran option behind much-maligned starter Zach Wilson, but no further moves under center are expected. That increases the chances of Cousins staying put through the remainder of the campaign.

The Vikings as a whole are not committed to a seller status ahead of the deadline, meaning a number of other veterans will likely not be on the trade block in the coming weeks (at least barring a continuation of their early losing streak). Cousins – who has posted the most passing yards (1,075) and touchdowns (nine) through three games this season – is safe in Minnesota for the time being, and it will be worth watching if he can help guide the team to a rebound in October. His absence from the trade market would also no doubt have a number of effects on the rest of the league as teams begin to evaluate if they will be aggressive in pursuing help in the near future.

49ers Were Prepared To Offer No. 2 Overall Pick For Kirk Cousins In 2017

September 14th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The late 2010s featured three offseasons filled with Kirk Cousins headlines. A number of “what if?” scenarios emerged from the saga that produced two Cousins franchise tags and a fully guaranteed Vikings free agency offer.

Residing as a key player in the Cousins market — due to Kyle Shanahan‘s ties to the productive quarterback — the 49ers removed themselves from the equation back in 2018, when they re-signed then-recent trade acquisition Jimmy Garoppolo. Shanahan had confirmed at the time the organization had Cousins on the radar between the point of the Garoppolo trade (October 2017) and his extension (February 2018). San Francisco was willing to make a bigger move for Shanahan’s former Washington pupil before that point.

A source rather close to this situation, Mike Shanahan said Kyle was willing to offer Washington the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft for Cousins, via The Athletic’s Alec Lewis (subscription required). The 49ers’ 2-14 showing in 2016 led them to holding the second overall pick in 2017, the first year of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime. After making back-to-back HCs one-and-dones, 49ers CEO Jed York gave Shanahan and Lynch six-year contracts. The second-generation NFL HC appeared prepared to put the long leash to good use in the first weeks of his San Francisco tenure.

At the time, we heard three teams expressed interest in Cousins via trade. Washington had franchise-tagged Cousins in 2016 and was preparing to do so again, and the 49ers always appeared likely to be involved in an effort to acquire him. Prior to venturing to Cleveland and then Atlanta, Kyle Shanahan had coached Cousins for two seasons in Washington, operating as his father’s OC.

An offer of the No. 2 overall pick for a franchise-caliber QB going into his age-29 season would have been interesting, but Mike Shanahan indicated, via Lewis, his former team “wouldn’t even return the phone call.”

Dan Snyder and president Bruce Allen ran the Washington franchise at this point, and stability proved elusive. Contentious negotiations took place later that year, with Allen famously mispronouncing Cousins’ first name — the “Kurt” interview — multiple times in the wake of a second round of July negotiations not producing a deal. Cousins, of course, played out a second season on the tag and signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $84MM deal with the Vikings in 2018.

This trade proposal also came about during a period that did not feature the quarterback movement the 2020s have brought. This saga played a part in that change. After previously being told Garoppolo was unavailable, the 49ers quickly accepted the Patriots’ offer of the then-Tom Brady backup for a second-rounder. Three months later, Washington agreed to trade for Alex Smith — more than a month before Cousins hit free agency — in 2018.

The 49ers did not carry a starter-level QB into the 2017 season, beginning the year with Brian Hoyer and third-round pick C.J. Beathard as their top options. They had used the high draft choice on Solomon Thomas, trading down with the Bears, who had drafted Mitchell Trubisky at No. 2. The early part of the 49ers’ 2017 draft did not age well, with Thomas going ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson and the team’s No. 31 overall choice (Reuben Foster) washing out after multiple off-field incidents. Shanahan’s team found its footing with Garoppolo in the years to come, though QB headlines have been constant during the Garoppolo-Trey Lance–Brock Purdy era in San Francisco.

Cousins, 35, is now in the final year of his third Vikings contract. The team extended its starter for a second time in 2022 but only restructured the deal in 2023. Cousins does not expect another round of Vikes talks until 2024, though he has said many times he wants to stay in Minnesota. It would be unlikely the 49ers would circle back to Cousins were he to reach free agency next year, as Brock Purdy has received steady praise from Shanahan. But with Lance gone and the former Mr. Irrelevant not yet fully entrenched as a long-term option, this door may not be fully closed.

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins Addresses Future

September 10th, 2023 at 2:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of veterans made their way out of Minnesota this offseason, but quarterback Kirk Cousins is still in place for at least one more year. He recently spoke about his future with the Vikings (or another team) as he enters the final year of his contract.

Cousins is set to earn $30MM this season, after it became clear he would not sign another Vikings extension this offseason. Talks on a new contract are expected to take place after the campaign but before his deal expires in March, something which would take him to free agency for the second time in his career. That leaves the 35-year-old with plenty to prove this season, something he is acutely aware of.

Cousins admitted he is playing for his job when speaking to the media. He added, “that’s kind of the life you live. And I think when you take that seriously, that lends itself to having success more days than not” (h/t ESPN’s Kevin Seifert).

Both team and player have expressed an openness to continuing their relationship, one which has seen Cousins earn $155MM to date in Minnesota. The four-time Pro Bowler will earn another signficant payday on a new deal in 2024 if he continues his strong play from last season, in which he threw for the second-most yards of his career (4,547) and helped lead the team to a 13-4 record. Cousins has cashed in on a number of occasions, and he has done particularly well in securing guaranteed money in his career. Doing so again will require a strong season, as Minnesota could move on if he regresses or suffers an injury.

“Tom [Brady] made the point that there is no entitlement in the NFL,” Cousins added. “And if there is entitlement in the NFL, that organization is probably doing it wrong. I think it’s healthy when players need to go out every day, and nobody is entitled to anything… If it ever isn’t that way here, I would be the first one to complain and say, ‘I sense some entitlement, and let’s change that.”

As Seifert’s colleague Adam Schefter notes, Cousins’ contact – which includes four void years for salary cap purposes – does not expire until after the deadline to apply franchise tags. Minnesota will have likely made a decision on his future by that point, something which will be worth watching given the lack of long-term successors in the organization. Many expected the Vikings to be aggressive in drafting a passer in April, but they did not add one until the fifth round (Jaren Hall).

For that reason, Seifert notably reports that Minnesota was not in on Trey Lance trade talks. The former 49ers top-three pick was dealt to the Cowboys for a fourth-round selection after a quick negotiating process which included a few other teams. The fact the Vikings steered clear of Lance leaves their QB situation beyond 2023 something to monitor.

Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Offense

July 11th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s salary cap once again ballooned by more than $10MM, rising from its $208.2MM perch to $224.8MM. Factoring in the pandemic-induced 2021 regression, the NFL’s salary risen has climbed by more than $42MM since 2021.

This has allowed teams more opportunities for roster additions and opened the door for more lucrative player deals — at most positions, at least. However, it does not look like this season will include a $40MM player cap number. The Browns avoided a record-shattering Deshaun Watson $54.9MM hit by restructuring the quarterback’s fully guaranteed contract, calling for monster figures from 2024-26.

Here are the largest cap hits for teams on the offensive side going into training camp:

  1. Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $39.69MM
  2. Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $36.6MM
  3. Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $30.98MM
  4. Jake Matthews, T (Falcons): $28.36MM
  5. Trent Williams, T (49ers): $27.18MM
  6. Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $26.83MM
  7. Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $26.61MM
  8. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $23.8MM
  9. Amari Cooper, WR (Browns): $23.78MM
  10. Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $23.69MM
  11. Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $23.67MM
  12. Joe Thuney, G (Chiefs): $22.12MM
  13. Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $22MM
  14. Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $22MM
  15. Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $21.75MM
  16. David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $21.29MM
  17. Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $20.25MM
  18. D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $20.17MM
  19. Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $20MM
  20. Brian O’Neill, T (Vikings): $19.66MM
  21. Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $19.35MM
  22. Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $19.1MM
  23. Braden Smith, T (Colts): $19MM
  24. Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $18.64MM
  25. Courtland Sutton, WR (Broncos): $18.27MM

As should be expected, quarterbacks dominate this list. Mahomes’ number checks in here despite the Chiefs restructuring his 10-year, $450MM contract in March; the two-time MVP’s cap hit would have set an NFL record had Kansas City not reduced it. The Chiefs did not restructure Mahomes’ deal last year, but if they do not address it — perhaps via a complex reworking — before next season, Mahomes’ $46.93MM number would break an NFL record.

The Titans have not touched Tannehill’s contract this offseason, one that included some trade rumors months ago. This is the final year of Tannehill’s Tennessee extension. Mahomes and Tannehill sat atop this ranking in 2022.

Cousins is also heading into a contract year, after the Vikings opted for a restructure and not an extension this offseason. Cousins does not expect to discuss another Minnesota deal until 2024, when he is due for free agency. Two relatively low cap numbers have started Wilson’s $49MM-per-year extension. The Denver QB’s cap number rises to $35.4MM in 2024 and reaches historic heights ($55.4MM) by ’25. The subject of a Goff extension has come up, and it would bring down the Lions passer’s figure. But Goff remains tied to his Rams-constructed $33.5MM-per-year deal through 2024.

Jackson and Jones’ numbers will rise in the near future, with the latter’s contract calling for a quick spike in 2024. Next year, the Giants QB’s cap hit will be $45MM. Watson’s 2024 hit, as of now, would top that. The Browns signal-caller is on the team’s ’24 payroll at $63.98MM. Long-term consequences aside, the Browns can be expected to once again go to the restructure well with Watson’s outlier contract.

The Raiders did not backload Garoppolo’s three-year contract; it only climbs to $24.25MM on Las Vegas’ 2024 cap sheet. The Bills did backload Allen’s pact. Its team-friendly years are done after 2023; the six-year accord spikes to $47.1MM on Buffalo’s cap next year. The Cowboys have gone to the restructure well with Prescott. Like Watson, the Cowboys quarterback is tied to a seemingly untenable 2024 cap number. The March restructure resulted in Prescott’s 2024 number rising to $59.46MM. Two seasons remain on that $40MM-AAV extension.

Another notable cap hold that should be mentioned is Tom Brady‘s. When the Buccaneers did not sign the again-retired QB to another contract before the 2023 league year, his $35.1MM dead-money figure went onto Tampa Bay’s 2023 cap sheet. The Bucs will absorb that entire amount this year. Brady’s 2022 restructure, after retirement No. 1, led to the $35.1MM figure forming.

Were it not for another O-line-record extension, the Tunsil number would have come in at $35MM this year. Matthews signed an extension last year. Moore would have come in higher on this list were he still on the Panthers, who took on $14.6MM in dead money to move their top wideout for the No. 1 overall pick. Sutton came up regularly in trade rumors, with the Broncos wanting a second-round pick for the sixth-year veteran. The former second-rounder’s high base salary ($14MM) hinders his trade value.

Kirk Cousins Not Expecting Vikings Extension Talks Before 2024 Offseason

June 15th, 2023 at 9:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Kirk Cousins Wants To Remain With Vikings

May 6th, 2023 at 10:12pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings’ quarterback situation beyond 2023 remains a key talking point, since Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract. If the veteran signal-caller has his way, the coming season will not be he last with the team.

“I want to be in Minnesota,” Cousins said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. That’s kind of a no-brainer. Hopefully, we can earn the right to do that.”

Cousins, 34, will carry a cap hit of $20.25MM this year, after he agreed to a simple restructure of his contract. That came in place of another extension, leading to speculation regarding the Vikings’ potential to select a potential successor in the draft. That didn’t come to fruition, however, and the team remains open to another deal in the future.

The former fourth-rounder has done quite well for himself financially while playing on short-term contracts throughout his career. Cousins has remained consistent in his performances with the Vikings, and earned his second straight (and fourth overall) Pro Bowl nod in 2022. He helped guide an offense which ranked seventh in yardage and eighth in scoring en route to a 13-4 record, but Minnesota fell short in the first round of the playoffs. That extended their (and Cousins’) postseason struggles and the presumed upside of moving in a different direction under center next year.

Cousins would represent a notable free agent if he were to hit the market, and Minnesota’s continued strength (at least on the offensive side of the ball) suggests a repeat of last year’s record could be in reach. That could take the Vikings out of contention for one of the top passers in what is expected to be a celebrated 2024 QB draft class. A new Cousins contract could also alter the $28.5MM cap hit he is scheduled for as a result of void years on his current deal. He would welcome the opportunity to continue his Vikings tenure beyond what will be its sixth year in no small part due to his confidence in his ability to remain productive deep into his career.

“I’m encouraged and excited,” Cousins added, “because I do feel like I’ve got a lot of good football ahead of me.”

Vikings Not Ruling Out Another Kirk Cousins Extension

May 3rd, 2023 at 10:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings participated in the Day 3 run on quarterbacks, taking BYU’s Jaren Hall in Round 5. But two years after making an effort to trade up for Justin Fields, Minnesota does not look to have a true Kirk Cousins heir apparent.

GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah scouted Hall in-person but declined to say if the 25-year-old rookie could be a potential Cousins successor. The Vikings discussed another extension with Cousins, but the sides ended up reaching a restructure agreement in March. After signing three Vikings contracts (in 2018, 2020 and 2022), Cousins is due for free agency after this season. The Vikings are not closing the door on another Cousins contract.

“When you go into a contract negotiation, you’re trying to come up with solutions together,” Adofo-Mensah said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “It’s not just what Kwesi wants or what the Vikings want or what Kirk wants. It’s what we can do together to ultimately put up that Lombardi. Sometimes you come to a place where you decide, ‘Hey, let’s talk later. This is a solution for now.’ That’s all that’s happened.”

Entering his sixth year as the Vikings’ starter, Cousins made it to the Twin Cities because of the unique leverage his two Washington franchise tags created. Cousins parlayed that into a fully guaranteed deal (three years, $84MM) that accelerated a QB-market boom. He later signed a two-year, $66MM deal in 2020 and agreed to a one-year, $35MM bump in 2022. Both the latter accords reduced Cousins’ cap number. This year’s restructure did the same; Cousins counts $20.25MM on Minnesota’s 2023 cap. But, excluding void years, the 12th-year passer is unsigned beyond 2023.

Being 2-for-5 in playoff appearances with the Vikings and having won one career postseason game, Cousins has still been one of this era’s premier earners. Exiting the 2022 season, he has banked $201MM. The skyrocketing QB market would make him an interesting player next year, but the Vikings have exclusive negotiating rights until next March.

As a mid-30-something QB on the market — should he reach free agency for a second time — Cousins will not carry the same kind of value he did back in 2018. But a quality season — one in which T.J. Hockenson and first-round pick Jordan Addison will be in the fold come Week 1 — would still make him a viable commodity, in the event the Vikings do not use their exclusive negotiating rights to reach a fourth agreement with Cousins before next year’s legal tampering period.

“We like where we are at the quarterback position,” Adofo-Mensah said. “But every option is open to us going forward. We’re just really excited about Kirk this year. The weapons we’ve added in free agency, the weapons we added in the draft [will help], and we’ll see what happens after that.”

The franchise tag might not be a viable option for the Vikings, and Cousins may not be worthy of such a designation by next year. Drew Brees won a grievance regarding the tag in 2012, indicating that, despite being tagged by two teams in nonconsecutive years (2005, 2012), a third tag should still come in at 144% of his previous year’s salary. No player has been tagged three times since the Jaguars cuffed safety Donovin Darius from 2003-05. Subsequent CBAs, however, have contained language — the 144% component — that effectively prevents a third tag.

On less steady ground with the Titans, Ryan Tannehill is the other experienced starter on track for free agency in 2024. Though, as the 2020s QB trade markets have illustrated, more will likely be available. Cousins’ Minnesota status will obviously be worth monitoring ahead of that point.

Restructure Details: Cousins, Bills, Cowboys, Saints, Warner, Jets, Texans

March 15th, 2023 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Facing a Kirk Cousins cap crunch last year, the Vikings worked out a third contract with their starting quarterback. They did not take that path this year. Minnesota instead agreed to a restructure, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The reworking frees up $16MM in cap space for the Vikings, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert tweets. The Vikes look to have tacked on two more void years to Cousins’ deal. While the void years — for cap-reducing purposes — run through 2027, Cousins’ contract expires after the 2023 season. No extension is imminent.

The 34-year-old passer has enjoyed leverage throughout his Vikings relationship — via his free agency in 2018, ahead of his 2020 contract year on that fully guaranteed deal, and in 2022 as his second Vikes pact was set to produce a historic cap hit — but Minnesota’s new regime may now be looking toward moving on after the season. This will be a situation to monitor moving forward; Cousins has not played in a contract year since his 2017 Washington finale.

Here is the latest on teams’ restructures:

  • The Bills moved close to the 2023 league year in a cap hole, but they restructured the deals of their two highest-profile players to create considerable space. Buffalo reworked Josh Allen and Von Miller‘s contracts to create approximately $32MM in space, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. The Bills have moved their way up past $8MM in cap room.
  • Per usual, the Saints have been hard at work on restructures. They adjusted the deals of Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore to create cap space, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Katherine Terrell (all Twitter links). The Jordan move created more than $10MM in cap space for New Orleans, which was back to being north of $20MM over the cap following its Derek Carr signing. As the league year begins, New Orleans made it under the cap by just more than $300K.
  • In addition to restructuring Tyron Smith‘s deal to ensure the All-Decade tackle plays a 13th season with the team, the Cowboys adjusted the contracts of DeMarcus Lawrence and Michael Gallup, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Between them, the Lawrence and Gallup restructures freed up around $16MM for Dallas, which had already created more than $30MM in space by redoing Dak Prescott and Zack Martin‘s deals last week.
  • The 49ers restructured Fred Warner‘s extension, according to Yates (on Twitter). The move created nearly $9MM in cap space for San Francisco, which gave Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to start the legal tampering period. A void year now exists in Warner’s contract, which runs through 2026 (with the void year coming in 2027). Warner’s cap number drops to $9MM but spikes past $24MM in 2024, which will probably prompt more maneuvering from the 49ers. They currently hold just more than $12MM in cap space.
  • Circling back to the Vikings, Jordan Hicks agreed to a restructure that will keep him in Minnesota this season, Insidethebirds.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. Hicks signed a two-year, $10MM deal with the Vikings last year.
  • Amid their Aaron Rodgers pursuit, the Jets created $4.8MM in cap space by restructuring John Franklin-Myers‘ contract, Yates tweets. Two void years are attached to the defensive lineman’s pact, which runs through 2025.
  • Texans safety Eric Murray agreed to a restructured deal as well, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Attached to a two-year, $10MM deal he signed in 2022, Murray remains on a Texans team that has seen its roster become crowded at safety. The team has added Jimmie Ward and re-signed M.J. Stewart this week. Murray played 17 games for the Texans last season but did not start any. This sounds like a pay-cut agreement, with Wilson adding Murray can make up to $4MM this season.
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