CBS Sports Offers ‘Cautionary Tale’ for Vikings
One might think a cautionary tale for the 2022 Minnesota Vikings would be something like “quickly fix the third-worst yards-allowed defense in the offseason” or “once and for all, assemble a decent pass-protecting offensive line.”
But those sentiments are evidently too blatant to realize. On Monday, CBS Sports identified a critical move each NFL team must make to improve the franchise, in an article authored by Jason La Canfora. For the Vikings, La Canfora warned about tripling down on quarterback Kirk Cousins:
“Do not triple down on Kirk Cousins. Even if you move on from guys like Danielle Hunter and Adam Thielen and Michael Pierce, there is still enough talent to win the NFC North (especially if Rodgers is gone). Ride it out for one more year, seeking to keep upgrading that offensive line. You’re going to have to outscore people to win, anyway. Take the comp pick for Cousins down the road.”
– Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports
Before free agency or the NFL draft occur, it is unclear how the Vikings would have “enough talent to win the NFC North.” La Canfora must be banking on some fabulous offseason personnel additions if the team would improve from the 2021 campaign sans Hunter, Thielen, or Pierce. Those three players — Hunter especially — are game-changers on their respective sides of the ball. We shall see.
On Cousins, CBS Sports seems to imply the Vikings should allow Cousins to play out 2021-only and then wash hands of him if the season result is unsatisfactory. However, the whole conundrum since the 2021 campaign ended is Cousins’ contractual sum for 2022. Without any restructure, he’ll inflict a $45 million cap hit against the Vikings books, so the pain must be alleviated somehow. The “easiest” way to fix the monstrous cap hit is via contract extension or trade. Otherwise, the Vikings brass has to get real fancy with adding void years and such, deferring Cousins’ guaranteed money against future salary caps.
Regardless, La Canfora doesn’t seem too sold on Cousins pairing with new head coach Kevin O’Connell. Cousins and O’Connell were coworkers for the Washington Commanders, and part of the draw for O’Connell to the Vikings job was allegedly Cousins. O’Connell even said last week he “loves” Cousins.
Since Cousins joined the Vikings in 2018, Minnesota has reached the playoffs just once — one time out of four chances. That’s not very good. In this regard, La Canfora is absolutely correct. If you believe the team will be run similarly between Mike Zimmer and Kevin O’Connell — and Cousins’ performance will remain static — sure, let the man walk at this time next year. Or trade him now.
Yet, the vision by Vikings ownership is to improve with O’Connell in the saddle, employed to maximize Cousins and the Vikings — not merely manufacture 7-9 or 8-9 seasons.
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If Minnesota truly believes in this Cousins-O’Connell plan, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should fortify the offensive trenches to ensure the quarterback will succeed. If not, of course, the ceiling will be underwhelming and in the ballpark of 8-9.
That’s usually how it works for teams with trashy pass protection.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. 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).
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