Kirk Cousins
Little clues have dribbled out about the future of Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings since the termination of Rick Spielman. Had Spielman stayed with the franchise, Cousins likely would’ve been extended – almost in no-brainer fashion.
But Spielman was fired on Black Monday, ushering in the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era as general manager. The young former Browns executive is a wildcard, mainly because he doesn’t have a documented track record of decision-making. So far, as a young man, he’s been a “voice in the room” but never the drafter of talent or the trader of players.
That all changed the day Vikings ownership hired Adofo-Mensah for the big job.
For a couple of weeks, speculation has run rampant on the future of Kirk Cousins because the man is a divisive creature. Some believe his skill set is tremendous, consistent, and Top-10-ish. Others feel Cousins is totally pedestrian and not worth the $33 million he earns annually.
Therefore, the topic of “will they or won’t they” trade Cousins has graced the Vikings digital stratosphere for about one month. And, it’s like every-single-day drama on the topic.
On Monday, KFAN’s Paul Allen was a guest on Sioux Falls ESPN Radio 102.3 with host Jeff Thurn. Allen is the voice of the Vikings, calling the radio broadcasts of all Vikings games for about 25 years.
He seems to be in the know for all things Minnesota, and he offered an opinion on the Cousins topic the day after the Super Bowl:
“Kirk will be the quarterback next year. He’s the right guy to be the quarterback next year. Now, you’ve got to work on his money because we’re over the cap, and we need to find ways to bring in some players.”
– Paul Allen | KFAN
What’s more, Allen was one of the first in the Minneapolis community to predict Cousins would land with the Vikings in the first place back in 2018. Allen takes some heat for believing the Vikings can “do no wrong,” but his prognostications are typically correct.
On Cousins, the soon-to-be 34-year-old quarterback will have to restructure his contract with the team. He’s slated to earn a sinful $45 million in 2022, a comeuppance figure for the “measly” $21 million Cousins earned in 2020 during the cash-strapped salary cap panic. He made less that season to help the Vikings finagle the cap. Now, the chickens have come home to roost. In all likelihood – especially with Allen’s prediction – Minnesota will extend Cousins for a figure in line with a Top 11 salary or so.
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The other alternative was a trade. But that idea seems a little silly after what happened in Super Bowl LVI. An underachieving quarterback named Matthew Stafford won a championship with a fantastic roster around him. That’s probably what the Vikings will try with Cousins.
Using a new set of eyes – those belonging to Stafford’s offensive coordinator from the Rams – sounds like a pretty sound idea.
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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