Getty Kirk Cousins talks with head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings prior to a game against the Washington Commanders in November 2022.
Lost somewhat in the shuffle of a busy offseason for the Minnesota Vikings have been the team’s future plans for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Minnesota made something of conflicting statements on their long-time starter by first rejecting an offer from Cousins’ team to take a discount on a multiyear extension this offseason, then forfeiting the chance to select either Will Levis or Hendon Hooker in the NFL Draft — both of whom remained available when the Vikings selected at No. 23 in the first round.
Cousins, who will earn $30 million on the final year of his contract in 2023, hasn’t spoken much about his negotiations with the franchise other than to say that he would like to remain in Minnesota long-term. However, the quarterback broke that relative silence on Wednesday, June 14, offering a public update on the status of his contract talks with the team.
“I think we’ll probably talk about the contract next March,” Cousins told reporters as minicamp concluded, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “Until then, [we’ll] just focus on this season and the job to do right now.”
“In this league, there should never be entitlement,” Cousins added. “You’ve always got to go play, and teams can do whatever they want to do. That’s their prerogative. You just go to work. You do the best you can. I’m encouraged and excited because I do feel like I’ve got a lot of good football ahead of me.”
Rookie Jaren Hall Represents Vikings Only Long-Term Option at QB Other Than Kirk Cousins
Courtesy of VikingsMinnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall throws a pass during team activities in summer 2023.
Cousins’ commentary makes clear that the Vikings’ long-term future at quarterback will remain murky throughout a 2023 season being billed by the franchise as a competitive rebuild.
Minnesota selected quarterback Jaren Hall out of BYU in the fifth round of this year’s draft, with whom head coach Kevin O’Connell has been enamored early in Hall’s tenure with the team. At 25 years old, Hall is potentially a candidate to replace Cousins as early as the 2024 season, though his viability in that regard is almost certain to develop significantly one way or another throughout the course of both this summer and the regular season.
The only other quarterback on the Vikings’ depth chart currently is Nick Mullens. Mullens has significant starting experience in the NFL, earning a record of 5-12 for his career, but has proven himself more of a backup option as he enters his sixth professional campaign.
Kirk Cousins Represents Safety Valve for Vikings at QB in 2024
GettyQuarterback Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a play during a game against the New York Giants in October 2019.
Should Hall fail to prove his readiness for the starting position under center over the course of 2023, Cousins will remain the surest and most likely bet to retain the helm of the Vikings’ offense in 2024 and potentially beyond. That said, Minnesota is running a serious risk by waiting until March of next year to make a decision on the QB’s future with the franchise.
Cousins will officially hit free agency on March 15 of next year, at which point he will potentially gain significant negotiating leverage over the Vikings, especially if he puts up another Pro Bowl-caliber season.
The quarterback will turn 35 years old less than one month before the start of the upcoming campaign and has earned Pro-Bowl nods in each of the last two years, as well as in three of the previous four. Cousins almost never gets injured and has proven himself more than competent as an NFL starter, amassing a career record of 72-63-2 and leading the Vikings to the playoffs in 2022 for the second time during his five-year stint with the team.
Unless his production falls off dramatically or he suffers a catastrophic injury, there will be a significant market for Cousins next offseason. The Vikings have the upper hand in negotiations if they enter into them now, but Minnesota will put its rebuild at risk should the team lose Cousins in 2024 without a viable option to replace him.
The franchise could face similar problems if it is forced to make Cousins an offer of too much money over too many years due to losing negotiating leverage based on the same scenario.
