Will Kirk Cousins Be The Bridge QB?
Much has been made of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s decision to keep Kirk Cousins in Minnesota beyond 2021.
For many, Cousins isn’t near good enough to justify the gaudy numbers he has received in his career. His career record, after all, is a pedestrian 59-59-2, so it’s not like he has several seasons of winning behind him.
Where I’ll offer a defense for KAM rests in the capacity to move on from Cousins should things go poorly.
Look at it this way: in 2021, Kirk Cousins will receive reasonably fair compensation. At $31 million in 2022, Cousins is making the kind of money that suggests he’s good but not elite. I, for one, am fine with this number for the upcoming season.
And here’s the thing: if he really struggles, there’s a pretty good out for the team.
Many within Vikings Land would much prefer to see the team opt for a young QB in the draft. Again, it’s a perspective that makes sense. Bring in someone with upside and someone who makes relatively little money. It’d be very surprising if the Vikings took a RD1 QB in the upcoming draft, but 2023 is wide open.
Indeed, if Cousins struggles in 2022, the team may shift him from the “QB1” category to the “bridge quarterback” category. His deals grows to $36.25 million in 2023. Keep in mind that as his salary grows, so too does the cap. As a result, it wouldn’t be too difficult to fit a rookie QB into the overall budget for 2023. Just take a look at what former first-overall pick Joe Burrow has been paid. He’s giving the Bengals remarkable value.
In other words, the Vikings could choose a QB in next year’s draft as Cousins plays on the final year of his deal.
In 2024, Kirk Cousins isn’t under contract. The team could then move onto their sophomore who has had the chance to learn behind a vet. True, Cousins leaves behind a $12.5 million hit that season, but the rookie deal offsets that cap charge. Minnesota could then enter years 3 and 4 of the hypothetical QB’s rookie deal unencumbered by money spent on Kirk.
I say all that to say this: the Vikings have fully committed to Cousins in 2022, but there isn’t too much that’s guaranteed beyond this season (at least not in terms of his role on the team). If he doesn’t play well, it’s very plausible that the team looks for a first-round solution at QB. In that scenario, the team would have the benefit of slowly bringing along their first rounder.
Purple PTSD Also Read: How Adam Thielen Earned His Spot in Minnesota
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”975996″ player=”26281″ title=”WATCH%20Aaron%20Rodgers’%20future%20without%20Davante%20Adams” duration=”193″ description=”Paul Bretl joins Carolyn Manno to discuss all things Packers! Detailing Davante Adams being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and what it means for the Packers.” uploaddate=”2022-03-19″ thumbnailurl=”undefined” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/975907/975907.m3u8″]