Will Kirk Cousins be better or worse for the Vikings in 2019?

Improved running game

The improved offensive line also should mean an improved running game for the Vikings in 2019. This team struggled mightily to move the ball on the ground a season ago. It didn’t help that Dalvin Cook went down with injury once again, but the poor guard play by both Mike Remmers and Tom Compton didn’t help either.

Not only will the improvement of the offensive line talent help the running game, but the addition of Gary Kubiak will also improve Minnesota’s rushing attack.

Kubiak loves to run the football and when he was in charge in Denver and Houston, they normally ran the football more times than they threw it. Obviously, Kubiak isn’t calling the plays during the upcoming season for the Vikings, but a big reason he was brought in was to improve the team’s ground game.

An improved rushing attack will take loads of pressure off of Cousins. Defenses won’t be able to just drop an extra man into coverage on every play assuming the Vikings will be passing as they did in 2018.

Opposing defenses will now have to occasionally stack the box and that should lead to a lot more room for Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen to get open. This should make Cousins much more efficient in 2019 and give Minnesota’s offense some much-needed balance.