Nov 13, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and center Garrett Bradbury (56) take practice snaps before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Kirk Cousins’ teammates and coaches adore him, and suggesting anything to the contrary is flatly false.
Cousins joined the Minnesota Vikings in 2018 and has guided the franchise to the NFL’s 12th-best record in the last five seasons. The Vikings have a better win percentage since 2018, including regular season and playoffs, than the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Los Angeles Chargers.
And according to center Garrett Bradbury, who re-signed with the Vikings last month, Cousins is the straw that stirs the drink.
Speaking to the media Monday, Bradbury showed the utmost support for Cousins, who is under contract for just one more season. “He makes this whole thing go around. Coach Kuper talks all the time, like, a lot us offensive linemen were drafted here and have been here our whole career. He’s like, ‘You don’t know what it’s like not having a quarterback.’ He’s been through it. He’s been through five quarterbacks in five years and that kind of thing,” Bradbury explained.
Bradbury continued, “He’s like, ‘You don’t know how good you have it with how talented he is and how dialed in he is and how smart he is, getting us all together, knowing the playcall, knowing what everyone is doing.’ You kind of take it for granted because it’s what you’re used to. But then in the offseason, you’re training with guys, and you hear about how other quarterbacks go about their business, and you’re like, ‘That’s not (how he is).’ He’s the first person in and the last person out.”
Since becoming a Viking five years ago, Cousins ranks fourth in the NFL in touchdown passes and fifth in passing yards.
“He’s got so much on his plate, and he handles it with such class and such professionalism. I love playing with him. He’s the best. I can’t say enough good things about that guy. We’re lucky to have him,” Bradbury concluded.
Bradbury’s statements might surprise some, as a vocal faction of Vikings fans is ready to conclude the Cousins era in Minnesota. One Vikings fan commented on Twitter in response to Bradbury’s compliments of Cousins, “That’s nice and all, but it doesn’t change the fact that Kirk will be 35 at the beginning of this season. The guy is not LeBron. Age will catch up. The future is either now or next year’s draft.”
Minnesota owns the 23rd pick in next week’s draft and could draft a quarterback to “watch and learn” behind Cousins for a year. The draft community seems to believe Hendon Hooker will join the club in 1st Round, while others think general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will take a stab at a mid-rounder like Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA) or Jaren Hall (BYU).
But don’t tell any of that to Bradbury. To him, the Vikings already have the correct QB1, and it’s not really a debate.
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.