Deciding whether or not to extend the current contracts of both Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook will be a big priority for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 offseason.
With nine wins in their first 13 games, the Minnesota Vikings are currently in a great position to earn a spot in this season’s playoffs. This wasn’t the case last year when the Vikings fell way short of their Super Bowl expectations.
A big difference from last season for Minnesota has been the play of quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Dalvin Cook. Both Cousins and Cook are performing at an MVP level this year and the offensive duo is a big reason why the Vikings are in contention for a playoff berth.
Whenever the 2019 season eventually ends for Minnesota, the team will begin a long offseason that will include a number of very important decisions that will likely have a tremendous impact on the future of the franchise.
With Cousins and Cook only under contract through 2020, figuring out a way to extend each of them might be the biggest task on the Vikings’ plate for the upcoming offseason.
Minnesota has reasons to offer and reasons to not offer extensions to both of them. The Vikings would probably like to figure out a way to extend Cousins and Cook, but when the team tries to do this will be something to keep an eye on.
Out of the two, Cousins seems to have the best chance at getting an extension from Minnesota during the upcoming offseason. His play in a Vikings uniform has been consistent since he arrived last year and he’s currently in the middle of a career-defining season.
Despite the incredibly impressive year Cook has been having, Minnesota still might be hesitant when it comes to giving him a longer, more lucrative deal. His risk level is still pretty high given that his first two seasons with the Vikings were filled with injuries that caused him to miss more than 10 games.
Minnesota has also been able to see a number of other running backs around the NFL sign contracts during the last few years and hardly any of them have resulted in the player living up to his worth.
For Cook, the Vikings may decide to see if he can put together an impressive campaign in 2020 similar to what he has been doing out on the field this season. It might be a good idea for Cook to bet on himself as well because it could lead to him earning an even bigger deal than what he might be offered during the upcoming offseason.
Minnesota still has a few games left on their 2019 schedule, so they don’t have to worry about what to do with their top quarterback and running back just yet. But these decisions will certainly be taking center stage for the Vikings during the next handful of months.