Rick Spielman Confirms Kirk Cousins’ Contract on Minds of Vikings Brass
Dustin Baker
|
Most of the time, the Minnesota Vikings leave all contractual dealings for the offseason. The franchise seems to have a strict “rule” on doing business outside of the confines of the regular season.
But for the team’s most expensive player, Kirk Cousins, contractual matters are on the minds of Vikings brass as soon as right now.
Cousins is scheduled to carry an infamous $45 million cap hit into the 2022 season, a figure that is Mahomesian in value. And, Cousins is simply not as good as the Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller. The $45 million is therefore a relentless source of scrutiny.
The 2022 cap hit is really just the Vikings paying the piper. In 2020, Cousins’ cap hit was “only” $21 million, but virtually no one recognized or commended the number because it’s more convenient to lambast Cousins for, well, everything. His cap hit this year is $31 million, so next year’s herculean number is a make-up sum for the discounted 2020 payment.
Not many Vikings loyalists ever believed Cousins would play out 2022 under the banner of $45 million. He’d either be extended – like the talks contemplated now – or traded. It’s all kind of dependent on the fruits of the 2021 season, a campaign in which the Vikings sit at 3-3 through six weeks.
On Tuesday, general manager Rick Spielman confirmed Cousins’ contract is on his mind. He said this to reporters:
“We’ve already looked at that two years ago. We looked at it this offseason. It’s all part of roster planning. You’re always continuing to look forward where we’re projecting the cap will be next year. I’ll sit down with Rob at the midway point and see where our guys are playing and where we’re at cap wise. We do have some challenges coming up next year. You still like to see what evolves through the regular season and through the playoffs and we’ll make some final determinations then. It’s not just waiting until the end of the season and scramble and put something together.”
That’s the most Minnesota has mentioned about Cousins’ contract in quite some time. Back in spring, Spielman affirmed Cousins was indeed the team’s 2021 quarterback when rumors swirled, linking him to the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears. Yet, since then, Spielman and his pals have been mum on the future of Cousins’ deal.
Cousins has recently made the decision on an extension tricky and obvious – a paradox, to be sure. He’s playing the best football of his life, leading the Vikings to four possible game-winning drives in 2021 while the team converted just two of them. In Week 1, Dalvin Cook fumbled and ended the game against the Cincinnati Bengals to open the season. In Week 2 – versus the best team in the NFL – Cousins dragged the offense into place for a game-winning 37-yard field goal. The kicker missed.
In the last two games, Cousins did his part – again – and the Vikings finally joined him, winning back-to-back barnburners versus the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers.
Inside of a typical Cousins season, the Michigan State alumnus is responsible for one or two atrocious games. That’s his downfall. Last year, Cousins fired up one of those cringeworthy performances at home versus the Atlanta Falcons. His first half was dreadful in that affair. However, after that game, Cousins has authored a fabulous slate of 16 games. His full-season worth of work from that game forward produced numbers like this:
No matter what your preconceived thoughts tell you about Cousins – no matter the narratives you seek – those numbers should be more than good enough for a quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. It’s mind-boggling a person could glance at that prolonged performance and think, “Not gonna cut it.”
Because the Vikings have reached the playoffs just one time in the Cousins era, the 2021 season is a tell-all year for Cousins and his head coach. Spielman said to reporters he would watch what evolved in 2021 – he probably meant for wins and losses.
Will Cousins encounter a series of stinker games, tapering the enthusiasm for an extended stay with the Vikings? Or will his purple fireworks continue, propelling Minnesota to the postseason? That’s the $45 million question.
One thing is clear: Spielman is having those discussions with ownership and Rob Brzezinski. As in – right now. Offseason extensions-only be damned.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
You must be logged in to post a comment.