Vikings Fans Ready to Move On at QB — For the Most Part
Say it ain’t so.
After six seasons, most Minnesota Vikings fans are ready to conclude the Kirk Cousins era if the veteran quarterback doesn’t agree to a team-friendly extension.
Vikings Fans Ready to Move On at QB — For the Most Part
Cousins is scheduled to embark on the free-agent market in seven weeks if he and the Vikings front office can’t reach an extension agreement. The 35-year-old tore his Achilles on October 29th at the Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota finished the season 3-6 without him.
And because the two parties didn’t finalize a new contract last summer — they tried — the here and now is time for speculation about Cousins’ future. Left up to Vikings fans, a divorce is imminent unless Cousins accepts a “hometown discount.”
We polled “VikingsTwitter,” a rough-and-tumble group of devoted fans, about their preference for the future, and about 60% are ready to move if Cousins’ asking price is too high.
The poll was unscientific, and 1,742 people responded.
Rick Galbraith commented on the poll, “I love the dude’s consistency, and he is a hell of a guy, but it’s time for the rollercoaster ride. Whether up or down, the ride needs to start now.”
@vikadan11 weighed in, “I believe the Packers (cough cough) have shown why a rookie QB should not start before their 3rd season. I can’t remember if Farve set for all of his 2nd season or was forced to start around the middle of his 2nd season. But Rogers & Love set for their 1st 4 seasons.”
The Vikings’ leadership has hinted since last year its desire to re-sign Cousins for a seventh season, but as always with the incumbent quarterback, money is the sticking point. The next handful of weeks will determine if Minnesota and Cousins’ representation can meet financially in the middle.
ESPN formally predicted on Wednesday that Cousins would land with the Atlanta Falcons, possibly pairing with Bill Belichick if the New England Patriots legend grabs the Falcons’ top job.
A working theory suggests the Vikings want Cousins back in 2024 but at a team-friendly price that enables financial flexibility. The number is likely between $30-$40 million per year. In Atlanta or elsewhere, in theory, Cousins could swat away any discount narrative and command $40+ million annually.
Ending the Cousins era would all but guarantee that Minnesota uses a 1st-Round draft pick on a quarterback in April. Otherwise, the club would have to pull off a splashy trade for a player like Justin Fields or Kyler Murray.
Cousins was trending toward 5,000 passing yards, 38 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 2023 before the Achilles injury. The Vikings had also just repaired their season on the fly the week prior, toppling the San Francisco 49ers and en route to a flogging of the Packers in Week 8.
NFL free agency gets underway on March 11 with “legal tampering,” although a decision from Minnesota on Cousins’ contract should arrive in February or early March.
The Vikings haven’t selected a quarterback in Rounds 1 or 2 of the draft since 2014.
Former Viking Re-Ups with Steelers
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,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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