Believe It or Not, the Vikings Have Flexibility with Kirk Cousins’ Extension.
Dustin Baker
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Kirk Cousins is expensive. That is irrefutable. But his recent extension, tabulating $35 million per season through 2023 for the man’s bank account, affords the Vikings some flexibility.
Indeed, Cousins somehow snuck in a no-trade clause. That part is inflexible. It wasn’t there before. If Minnesota encounters another season in the ballpark of 8-9 in 2022, the trade-Cousins rumor mill will scream all over again — probably even louder than the last two months. And should Cousins be dealt elsewhere, he must approve the transaction. Inflexible — not ideal.
But the rest of his essence on the 2022 and 2023 rosters affords the new coaching staff flexibility. The goal for the Vikings is for Kevin O’Connell to channel Cousins into a deep playoff run — like he helped do with Matthew Stafford in January and February. That is the best-case scenario. O’Connell shows up, and boom, the Vikings roster ticks in a way Mike Zimmer could not effectuate.
In this regard, O’Connell isn’t doomed to the guaranteed futility a full rebuild would mandate. What coach wants to land a first-time head coach gig and finish 4-13? None of them. Re-upping with Cousins provides wins-related relevance for the team as the man tosses 30+ touchdowns on 4,000+ yards like clockwork. No matter what Cousins detractors yell, not many humans on earth can do that.
Possibility of a playoff push. Check.
After that, the optional contingency plans exist. Just like the Kansas City Chiefs did in 2017, employing Alex Smith as QB1 while drafting boy wonder Patrick Mahomes, the Vikings can follow suit.
Nothing anywhere at all states Minnesota must be married to Cousins beyond one or two years. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can draft his knight in shining armor in the 2022 or 2023 NFL Draft, preparing for life-after-Cousins. You know, like Kansas City did. Cousins will indeed begin 2022 as the QB1 — as did Alex Smith for almost all of 2017 with a rookie waiting to pounce.
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Incidentally, that youngster could also be Kellen Mond, who is already on the roster. He’s raw, so he needs time to mature behind Cousins. It’s the best of three worlds — showcasing a 30+ touchdown guy in Cousins, holstering Mond who may or may not be any good, and elasticity of drafting “Kwesi’s guy.”
Too often, Vikings fans entrench in never-Cousins or “Cousins stans” camps. It doesn’t need to be that way. Middle ground is attainable. It’s rather evident Cousins, per the QB-is-everything narrative driven by national media, failed to qualify for the postseason in three out of four tries with the Vikings. That ain’t good.
Hedging the bet adds up if the circumstance arises that Cousins misses the playoffs in four out of five tries. Then, the Vikings could pivot to Mond, unnamed 2022 rookie quarterback, or draft the new dude in April 2023.
Cousins is spendy; $35 million isn’t chump change. But it’s also not the $50 million per year afforded to Rodgers. Per every worthwhile metric on the planet, Cousins is worth nearly $35 million per season as the quarterback salary market inflates.
And it just so happens the franchise has new eyes and brains to monitor Cousins’ progression into 2022 — or tap the next quarterback for duty.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. His YouTube Channel, VikesNow, debuts in March 2022. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).