Kirk Cousins called ‘overrated’ and ‘just a guy’ by current NFL executive

Some thoughts from an anonymous current NFL executive were recently shared about Minnesota Vikings veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins.

When it comes to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, there might be no other player in the NFL today that has as large a variety of opinions surrounding them as the veteran signal-caller does.

Despite his impressive numbers through Minnesota‘s first 13 games this season (3,569 yards, 27 touchdowns, five interceptions), Cousins still has plenty of doubters inside and outside of the league.

Recently, an anonymous current NFL executive spoke to the Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore, and he shared his thoughts on the Vikings quarterback. He didn’t exactly give Cousins a rave review.

"“Kirk Cousins is overrated. He can’t finish. He’s a great guy. Takes it very seriously. He’s got the body, mind, and spirit — he’s got all those things you want in that position. But he doesn’t have enough arm talent. There’s a reason why he was taken in the fourth round. He’s just a guy. When [stuff] breaks down and adversity strikes and you got to extend the play, he can’t do it.”"

Is the NFL executive right about Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins?

Aside from the executive’s comment about Cousins‘ arm strength (the dude can chuck it), there’s not a whole lot in his thoughts to disagree with. Especially the part about when “adversity strikes.”

When it comes to executing how a play is exactly supposed to work, Cousins does well. But if a receiver doesn’t get open that was supposed to, or he’s forced out of the pocket by the opposing pass rush, that’s when the Vikings quarterback tends to get himself into trouble.

Earlier this season, we saw Cousins have a magnificent performance against the Green Bay Packers. He had pressure in his face all day, but he remained aggressive, and it paid off as Minnesota wound up getting the win.

But that performance and result aren’t things that have typically come together during the majority of Cousins’ matchups against teams with winning records in his tenure with the Vikings.

Since his first season with Minnesota in 2018, Cousins ranks sixth in passer rating, eighth in touchdown percentage, seventh in interception percentage, and fifth in completion percentage among NFL quarterbacks with at least 300 passing attempts.

However, during this same time period, the Vikings and their current starting quarterback are only 5-22 against teams with winning records (including 2-6 this season).

So does Minnesota’s lack of success against the best teams in the NFL mean that Cousins’ numbers during the last four years are overrated? The anonymous NFL executive certainly thinks this is the case.