On “Trade or Extend,” Vikings GM Level Sets the Kirk Cousins Situation
On Tuesday at the NFL combine, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told everyone curious about the Kirk Cousins contractual matter all they need to know:
“Those conversations are ongoing. We will do whatever’s best for the Minnesota Vikings, and Kirk will do what’s best for Kirk. But I think there’s a lot of middle ground for us to work well together.”
– Kwesi Adofo-Mensah | Minnesota Vikings
Never were the Vikings totally committed to trading Cousins in a “hell or high water” manner as some fans desire. It’s also not as elementary as extending Cousins’ tenure with the Vikings “at all costs.” Nuance and perspective are required to understand where Minnesota is at with Cousins.
Every step of the way since Adofo-Mensah and his running mate Kevin O’Connell were hired, the two men align for their sentiments on Vikings quarterback. They enjoy his skillset and want him to lead the team in 2022 — but need to find the correct price tag.
Because Cousins’ contract was backloaded — former general manager designated the cap hit at $21 million in 2020 when the pandemic ravaged the salary cap — the team must pay the bill in 2022. On average, Cousins earns $33 million per season, the eighth-most in the NFL. However, when folks toss around the $45 million figure for 2022’s cap hit, it implies the Vikings value Cousins as a Top 3 quarterback. And he is not a Top 3 passer in the league.
So, the new leadership regime must find middle ground — the same two words used by Adofo-Mensah on Tuesday. The Vikings want Cousins back, at the right price. Cousins will not play in 2022 on a $45 million cap hit. The easiest way to alleviate that naughty possibility is a trade or a contract extension.
Correspondingly, fans have lined up — often entrenched — in camps. One camp wishes to trade Cousins for draft capital. The other sect doesn’t want a merchant of 4,000+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns per season to walk out the door — especially for a Vikings franchise that hasn’t fancied quarterback continuity since the 1970s.
But the camps don’t have to be like this. The situation — or even your opinion — can be fluid. At the right price, the Vikings want Cousins as the quarterback going forward. Period. End of debate. Yet, if Cousins wants money in the $40 million territory, well, Adofo-Mensah might say “nope” and find the most draft capital available to offload the 33-year-old.
Point-blank, the new bossman said he will do what’s best for the Vikings. That is not either-or on trading Cousins. It’s about value. Is Cousins at $35 million per season the right value for the Vikings. Perhaps. What about a 1st-Round draft pick along with a mid-rounder in upcoming drafts via trade? Perhaps.
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This is the evaluation period of the market, and Adofo-Mensah doesn’t have a clear-cut answer to all the questions about Cousins because the ordeal is fluid.
Think of it this way — as evidenced by the man’s very words — Minnesota wants Cousins back at the right price. If not, they’ll trade him. Their motive(s) entering the situation was open-minded, not choosing a side.
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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