Why the Vikings should wait on a Kirk Cousins extension
By Dean Jones
The Minnesota Vikings have a big decision to make regarding Kirk Cousins in the coming months and they might be wise to wait on a possible extension.
Kirk Cousins’ time with the Minnesota Vikings has received mixed views so far heading into arguably the biggest season of his career.
The former Michigan State gunslinger penned a three-year, fully guaranteed $84 million deal in 2018 to join a Vikings roster that was on the cusp of greatness. It represented a big commitment from Minnesota, who was in dire need of a consistent signal-caller following the devastating injury to Teddy Bridgewater.
The 31-year-old had a tremendous campaign in 2019 following some early jitters. After a public bust-up with the Vikings wide receiver duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, Cousins produced outstanding numbers to guide the team back to the playoffs.
He finished the regular season with 3,603 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and just six interceptions to go with a 69.1 completion percentage.
Cousins also got the playoff monkey off his back when he led Minnesota to a memorable overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints before eventually falling to the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers in the second round.
He took a giant leap forward in 2019, but this does not mask the fact that some are still not convinced Cousins is the man to get the Vikings over the hump and to a Super Bowl. 2020 is going to be a pivotal season for the quarterback and his overall future with the organization.
Minnesota faces a critical offseason as they look to relieve their current financial burden while still keeping the team competitive. Any potential extension for Cousins will have huge implications for the franchise.