10 bold Minnesota Vikings predictions for the 2024 offseason
By Chris Schad
The Minnesota Vikings face plenty of important decisions during the 2024 offseason after failing to make the playoffs in the 2023 campaign.
The 2023 season has ended for the Minnesota Vikings, but if you were hoping to take a deep breath, the fun has just begun.
The Vikings could be embarking on one of the most important offseasons in team history with several difficult decisions to make.
One decision is the pending free agency of Kirk Cousins, while Danielle Hunter, Dalton Risner, and others will also be seeking new contracts.
Speaking of contracts, an extension for Justin Jefferson remains on the list of things to do, and Minnesota will go into an NFL Draft that is not only rich at quarterback but has several players that could help reinforce their roster.
Add it all up and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is not in an enviable situation as Vikings general manager.
But in this article, we’ll look into our crystal ball and make 10 bold predictions as Minnesota heads into the 2024 offseason.
Bold Vikings Prediction No. 1
The Vikings will re-sign Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins’s free agency has been a hot topic dating back to March when his camp couldn’t agree on a long-term extension with the Vikings.
After declaring that talks wouldn’t begin until after the final year of his contract, Cousins put up big stats, throwing for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games before suffering a torn Achilles in a Week 8 win over the Green Bay Packers.
Vikings fans may have gained appreciation for Cousins as Nick Mullens and Josh Dobbs struggled to replace him, and now Cousins returns to the negotiation table with the full support of Kevin O’Connell and several players, including Justin Jefferson and Brian O’Neill.
Cousins told reporters on Monday that his decision won’t be about money but what the money means.
While he offered to take a “discount” last offseason, it came with the condition of having his 2024 and 2025 seasons guaranteed before Minnesota decided to just restructure his current contract ahead of the new league year last March.
So what will the Vikings decide to do? Perhaps the two sides can reach a compromise if Cousins is willing to play ball.
While the 2024 season could be guaranteed, Minnesota could offer another chunk of money in 2025 with a two-year deal that would keep Cousins under contract through his age-37 season.
That seems risky, but the quarterback has enough supporters at TCO Performance Center to make it happen.
If he gets his way, it’s easy to see Cousins sticking around and signing another deal this offseason.