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

Improved weapons

Kirk Cousins is going to have more and better targets to throw to in 2019. Obviously, he’s got his two big boys back in Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Those two will be even more in sync with Cousins in year two and each of them could have bigger seasons than they did a season ago.

Hopefully, Kyle Rudolph is back with the Vikings for the 2019 season and they can pair him with rookie tight end Irv Smith Jr., who the team drafted in the second round this year.

Smith is a fluid route runner with good speed and hands. He is especially dangerous after catching the football and he will be able to pick up big chunks of yardage down the seam or over the middle of the field.

Minnesota’s third-round draft pick this year, running back Alexander Mattison, should also help out Cousins in the passing game.

He will be the short-yardage/goal-line back, but he has much better mitts than the guy who held that role a season ago in Latavius Murray. Cousins could end up dumping the ball off on third downs much more often in 2019.

The Vikings’ wide receivers after Diggs and Thielen should also be improved during the upcoming season. The No. 3 receiver job is up for grabs and the competition will be fierce.

Laquon Treadwell, Chad Beebe, Brandon Zylstra, and free agent pick up Jordan Taylor will all battle for that spot. On top of that, there are the two rookies in Dillon Mitchell and Olabisi Johnson who both have a legitimate shot for a job on this team in 2019.

At this point, which receivers Minnesota will end up keeping is a complete mystery. But whoever the five or six are, they should be leaps and bounds better than the ones who rounded out the depth chart in 2018.