3 Vikings players who are lucky to be around in 2022
By Dean Jones
Sean Mannion – QB
All the speculation linking Kirk Cousins with a trade away from the Vikings was a non-starter in all honesty. The quarterback’s salary and potential compensation involved left teams looking in a different direction, which left the organization with little choice other than to hand him a new deal that provided salary-cap relief in 2022.
Cousins is a good pro and has proven production. He is also closely linked to Kevin O’Connell and was reportedly a big influence in the appointment.
This should give Minnesota the best chance to succeed in O’Connell’s first season. What happens behind Cousins is unclear, with Kellen Mond’s development a concern and Sean Mannion getting himself another one-year deal with the franchise.
Mannion is never going to be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback.
Even he probably knows that deep down.
The Vikings had the chance to go with a different option or just hold firm with Mond and Nate Stanley as their backup options. Mannion’s new deal is the clearest indicator yet that the new regime isn’t entirely convinced in their other backup options, although the Oregon State product will also have to prove himself worthy of a roster spot in training camp.