5 reasons why the Vikings were right to extend Kirk Cousins
By Dean Jones
Cousins’ 2019 performance
Kirk Cousins bounced back in the best possible way last season after a disappointing first year with the Vikings.
Things looked bleak for the quarterback during the first few weeks in 2019. His deficiencies were evident once again and he drew public criticism from Minnesota’s wide receiver duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer also failed to provide a ringing endorsement regarding Cousins. He responded with a memorable run that ended with a divisional round playoff defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.
In 2019, Cousins completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 3,603 yards in a run-first offense. He also managed to throw 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions to secure a career-best passer rating of 107.4.
The quarterback’s crowning glory came in the NFC wild-card round against the New Orleans Saints. If Cousins had blown another big lead in a high-pressure situation he might not have received another payday in Minnesota. Instead, he went 19-for-31 for 242 yards and a game-winning touchdown to Kyle Rudolph in overtime for the first postseason win of his career.
Things did not go according to plan against a formidable 49ers defense. But after the year Cousins had, few would begrudge him for getting a longer stay with a Minnesota franchise that is not in a position to draft a top-level quarterback.
The Vikings also had little funds to make another big splash at the position given the guaranteed money on Cousins’ original deal. So it makes sense to keep him around and see if he can take another leap forward in 2020.