Oct 13, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Mandatory Credit: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports.
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the February 24th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to DustinBakerNFL@gmail.com.
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”958488″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%204%20takeaways%20from%20Kevin%20OConnells%20introductory%20press%20conference%20with%20Minnesota%20Vikings” duration=”160″ description=”SKIP TO MAIN CONTENTSportsnautSportsnautNFLCFBMLBNBAVIDSNHLNASCARUFCNFL·Published February 17, 20224 takeaways from Kevin O’Connell’s introductory press conference with Minnesota VikingsAndrew Buller-RussAndrew Buller-RussShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on FlipboardShare on RedditShare on News BreakShare via EmailEarlier in the week following the Super Bowl, some Minnesota Vikings fans began to worry about Kevin O’Connell potentially getting cold feet. Especially with the Sean McVay retirement rumors. Fans can rest easy now that O’Connell has officially been announced to the press as the 10th coach in Vikings history.In Thursday’s press conference the new Vikings coach had several interesting tidbits to share, including the likely immediate future of Kirk Cousins‘ status with the organization. Down below we break it all down.” uploaddate=”2022-02-18″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/958422_s_1645214109648.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/958422/958422.m3u8″]
A: No.
Cousins is worth about $30-$35 million per season. That’s the going rate for the 11th-best quarterback in football. Paying more than that is too much. There must be a boundary on how much he earns. $40 million exceeds the boundary.
In theory, Cousins could be totally unleashed by Kevin O’Connell and a reconditioned pass-protecting offensive line. Perhaps then Cousins would be worth $40 million. But those are what-ifs.
If Cousins wants $40 million dollars or more annually, trade him and draft a rookie quarterback with that draft capital.
A: Well, according to O’Connell, they’ll fit wonderfully. He tapped a lot of Rams brains and some Broncos coaches, too.
The Wes Phillips addition is intriguing because he was a Washington Commander with O’Connell and Cousins. During each step of the Vikings post-Zimmer aftermath, it seems like the team wants to maximize Cousins. This coaching staff has a reasonable chance to do it. We like pairing a Cousins-led offense with O’Connell, Phillips, McCardell, etc.
On the other hand, our favorite hire is Ed Donatell. O’Connell could’ve easily plucked a young, first-time defensive coordinator from Los Angeles. And then the team would just gamble on the first-timer as a good hire.
Donatell is a sensible move because his defenses are always at-least-average. He’s doesn’t really coach trashy defenses – and trashy defenses were prevalent in Minnesota during 2021 and 2022.
Then, they hedged with Mike Pettine as assistant head coach. The Wilfs still very much care about defense, and we love it.
A: Yes.
We do not expect Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to trade Cousins and Hunter. But if he does, the Vikings will undergo a junior rebuild. Trading one is a stockpiling of assets to fill out a 2022 roster. If Adofo-Mensah sends both men packing, the Vikings are clearly strategizing for 2023 and beyond.
It is unlikely both men leave the team because the Wilfs vociferously stated they want the Vikings to be ultra-competitive in 2022. Hunter and Cousins make the team competitive.
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).
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