ESPN Writer Drops a Kirk Cousins Nugget Into Story about AFC Contender
K. Joudry
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Brooke Pryor does some good work in her piece, “How Steelers transformed their quarterback room in 13 days.”
One of the more fascinating tidbits rested in the discussion of Justin Fields’ interest for his career’s second chapter. Apparently, the Vikings were among the four teams that Fields wanted to join. And yet within this discussion was a brief nugget about Kirk Cousins, the veteran passer who had been Minnesota’s QB1 solution since 2018.
The Kirk Cousins Nugget & The Steelers Story
The Steelers briefly considered adding Mr. Cousins.
Pryor offers the word, explaining that Pittsburgh “gave a cursory look at Kirk Cousins before quickly deciding signing him was out of their price range.” Since the end of his rookie contract, Cousins has proven to be an elite negotiator. The man doesn’t come cheap. Atlanta secured his services for a whopping 4-year pact that has $180 million standing behind it.
Since saying no to Cousins, Pittsburgh has said yes to both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The latter had at least some interest in being traded to Minnesota.
Pryor’s insight: “Chicago, intending to move the three-year starter as it prepared to select a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, was willing to give Fields some say in his next destination. The Steelers were one of four teams on Fields’ radar prior to the start of free agency, along with the Vikings, Raiders and Falcons, a source familiar with Fields’ thinking said.”
With Wilson, the appeal is twofold. For starters, he’s coming in at a super cheap price: just $1.21 million against the cap in 2024. For context, recent draft picks like Darnell Washington, DeMarvin Leal, and Keeanu Benton are putting a larger dent into the current budget for Pittsburgh.
And then there’s the reality of his accolades. He has won a Super Bowl and played in another. He has been a second-team All Pro and been to nine Pro Bowls. He finished 3rd in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting and been in the running for Offensive Player of the Year on three separate occasions.
So, the man is accomplished. Yes, he has taken a step back, but he’ll get consideration for the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done. And don’t forget that he has played in 16 playoff games, going 9-7. Meanwhile, Cousins has been involved in 5 playoff games, going 1-3 (he didn’t start back in 2012). Few would disagree that Cousins is currently the better player, but the price difference and career résumé mean something.
Pittsburgh has done well in rejuvenating its quarterback position. Partnering Wilson and Fields with an excellent head coach and a talented roster is set to make the Steelers a contender in the powerful AFC North.
Meanwhile, things look a bit more uncertain in Minnesota. Sam Darnold is going to be given the chance to snag the top spot, but the Vikings have left themselves with the kind of draft capital that suggests they’ll make an earnest effort to go after one of this year’s best young passers.
The veteran addition and (potential) upside rookie are likely to occupy the top two spots within Minnesota’s QB hierarchy during the 2024 season.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
Per Kevin O’Connell, Brian Flores was “a Major Driving Force” Behind FA Addition
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.