What if a Kirk Cousins Extension Is for Longer Than Expected?
Dustin Baker
|
The Minnesota Vikings must clear cap space in the next two weeks to prepare for free agency. And as an annual Minnesota tradition, that usually begins with a short-term Kirk Cousins contract extension.
This year will likely follow suit, as most fans and pundits expect the Vikings to tack on an extra year for Cousins, affixing him to the franchise through the end of 2024 or so. For now, he’s under contract for one more season.
But what if it’s longer? Like three years.
A brand new item entered the customary “Cousins debate” this offseason — age. Before 2023, a normal Cousins-themed discussion involved chatting about his pricetag, or in some circles, whether the QB1 was even any good at all. While Cousins silenced most of the latter debates last year by tying the NFL record for game-winning drives in a single season (8), folks still wonder if he’s worth $35 to $40 million.
Cousins’ birthday is this summer, and he’ll be 35. It isn’t abnormal to wonder how long he’ll remain durable as hell en route to tossing his traditional 4,000+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns. There’s also the element of precedent. Quarterbacks of yesteryear have actually slowed down at this age, and who’s to say Cousins is guaranteed to avoid a decline?
What if a Kirk Cousins Extension Is for Longer Than Expected?
To combat the fears of age-related regression, fans merely assume the Vikings will add one extra year onto his contract (if they’re in the mood to extend him in the first place).
However, when the media asks Cousins at the end of each season about his desire for the future, he says one thing consistently. “Well, I want to retire with the Vikings,” is generally the paraphrased version of his reply, with Cousins’ [on-brand] aww-shucks tone.
He might want an extension longer than one season. Adding just one extra year onto Cousins’ contract might imply the Vikings are willing to utilize him in 2023 and 2024 while drafting his replacement. Does Cousins want to groom and mentor a replacement? Maybe. He seems like a reasonable guy for the job, but one can’t be sure about his opinion.
Cousins has banked a career on dinker deals in terms of contract length — a franchise tag there, three years here, an extra add-on year after that — plus the ginormous pricetags to accompany the short-term contracts.
Hitting age 35, perhaps this is the juncture where he tells the Vikings front office, “I want something longer term.”
In NFL history, 12 quarterbacks have thrown 3,500+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns in single seasons between the ages of 35 and 37:
- Tom Brady (x2)
- Drew Brees (x3)
- Randall Cunningham
- Brett Favre
- Eli Manning
- Peyton Manning
- Carson Palmer
- Philip Rivers
- Aaron Rodgers
- Ben Roethlisberger
- Kurt Warner
- Steve Young
If Cousins rejoins the Vikings with a quasi-long-term contract, everyone will just have to hope he squeezes into the list above.
But do the Vikings agree that it’s wise to roll with him for three or so more years? If the answer is no, the next two weeks will get ultra-interesting.
Your 2023 Vikings Free Agency Handbook
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.