At That, Show Kirk Cousins the Door.
The Minnesota Vikings have a massive decision regarding the quarterback position this offseason. With Kirk Cousins providing massive uncertainty, his price tag resembling anything close to the latest report should have him shown the door.
At That, Show Kirk Cousins the Door.
When the Vikings watched Kirk Cousins go down with an Achilles injury against the Green Bay Packers, it was all but a given that their season was over. Certainly, they could try and piecemeal it together at the position the rest of the way, but replacing a starting quarterback on the fly is nearly impossible. It ended badly, and the focus turned to 2024.
Kirk, head coach Kevin O’Connell, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have all said they are on board with a reunion tour. Saying the right things and making it happen are different, though. A few weeks ago, I suggested making a best and final offer to Cousins early on in the process. It lets everyone know where they stand and rips the proverbial band-aid off quickly. A one-year deal doesn’t have to be the sticking point, and two years work, but not even close to the money NBC Sports’ Peter King suggested on “The Cook & Joe Show.”
“There’s two great quarterback mysteries in this offseason in the NFL. One is Kirk Cousins. Because he will not go back to Minnesota on a one-year contract. A lot of people are going to say, ‘Wow, he’s going to be 36 next year, coming off a torn Achilles. Do we want to commit to him for two years? I would if I were a team. But we’re also talking two years, $90 million, which is excessive. But it’s also the market. So I’m not saying it’s a bad deal or a bad idea.”
If Cousins is looking for a market deal, he’s simply not looking to come play for the Vikings, point blank. The NFL is a salary cap sport, and Cousins isn’t unintelligent. He can clearly see money needs to be allocated to stars around him, such as Justin Jefferson and Danielle Hunter. He can also look at the locker room he has been in for the past handful of seasons and see they have yet to accomplish the ultimate goal, and an additional infusion of talent is necessary to make that happen.
In a world where your time to earn is limited, every person should look to maximize their worth. However, Cousins’ job is also one of competition, and he has yet to win anything throughout his career. He has earned over $230 million and will get paid handsomely again. Whether that results in an additional $60 million or $90 million should largely be negligible for someone in his position. At this stage in his career, the ultimate goal should be to put a ring on his finger. Anything working against that notion seems to be an individual focus rather than the goal of cementing a legacy.
At the end of the day, there isn’t an avenue for Cousins to cry poor or feel scorned about his earnings. He certainly can look back on his career and wonder “what if” when it comes to surrounding himself with better talent and accomplishing what he set out each season to do. Some guys go to training camp searching for a ring. Others go waiting for the direct deposit to hit.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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