Kirk Cousins, the quarterback, is healthier than anticipated and might sign a big new contract soon, either with the
Minnesota Vikings or somewhere else.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Network provided an update on Cousins’ recovery from his Week 8 Achilles tendon tear
against the Green Bay Packers on Friday, January 26. Pelissero stated that the quarterback is performing ahead of
schedule and will be throwing in a few weeks.
Pelissero stated that Cousins is reportedly thought to be the first player in NFL history to have played for nine years
straight on fully guaranteed money, dating back to the two franchise tags he obtained in Washington before to
signing his first major contract in Minnesota in 2017. “Cousins will turn 36 prior to the upcoming season. He’s
recovering from his Achilles tear. He’s reportedly recovering ahead of schedule, though. Kirk Cousins is on the right
track to be fully prepared to play for the Vikings, or whomever team he may be with in 2024, since he will be
throwing before the combine next month.
Former NFL front office employee and current NFL Network analyst Marc Ross discussed Cousins’ advantage when
he goes to the negotiation table with the Vikings and possibly other teams in the upcoming weeks.
According to Ross, Cousins and his agent Mike McCartney are experts at both the free agent and extension games.
“We are aware that Kirk was dominating the season until suffering an Achilles injury. The turn-style of quarterbacks
in Minnesota when he was out increased the significance of his departure. Thus, despite his recent injury, Kirk has
demonstrated his ability to obtain the money. He has demonstrated his ability to get yards and be productive in the
league. And Kirk, I believe, is primed to profit once more since so many clubs are lacking elite players.
Since joining the organization six years ago, Cousins has inked three contracts with Minnesota. The Vikings have
paid him $185 million throughout that time. For a new three-year contract, Spotrac forecasts Cousins’ market worth
to be more than $118 million. The Vikings will bear a heavy financial burden should they opt not to sign Cousins due
to a combination of his age, contract, and past history of injuries.
Minnesota’s options are as follows: sign a costly veteran in free agency who lacks Cousins’ locker room chemistry or
history; draft a quarterback in April (for whom the team may need to trade up, sacrificing significant assets); or take
a chance on Jaren Hall or Nick Mullens as the starting quarterback in 2024.
If Cousins’ contract expires in March, the Vikings will incur a $28.5 million dead cap penalty, barring any other
circumstances. That’s why it makes sense to sign the quarterback to a new contract, even a high one. Minnesota
would eventually need to engage in negotiations. that cash into the salary cap eventually, but the team’s best bet to
stay competitive in the near run is to re-sign Cousins.
On January 25, Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote, “Sign Cousins, and you might be risking a more malleable future
with a franchise-defining upside.” If you choose the other path, you could end up believing that a quarterback like
Kirk Cousins is all you need to get over the hump and running the risk of years of inconsistency.
For Heavy.com, Max Dible covers the Golden State Warriors, Green Bay Packers,
Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and Cleveland Browns. Before joining Heavy,
he worked as the news director for Pacific Media Group’s chain of Big Island radio
stations as well as a reporter for West Hawaii Today, covering both local and state
news. He also worked as the news director for BigIslandNow.com. Additional
information on Max Dible
