7 biggest takeaways from the Vikings loss to the Packers in Week 17

Vikings Takeaway No. 1

Kirk Cousins will be back in Minnesota in 2024

Before the Vikings delivered a forgettable performance on Sunday against the Packers, injured Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins did his best to fire up the crowd inside U.S. Bank Stadium when he and his son assumed their Kirko Chainz alter-egos to sound the Vikings Gjallarhorn.

It was quite the scene and everyone got a good laugh out of it. Considering how poorly Cousins' teammates played on Sunday, it was probably the highlight of the evening.

Now, this could seem like a stretch to some, but Minnesota probably wouldn't have had Cousins go up there to rile up the team's fans if there wasn't a good chance of him returning to the franchise when he becomes a free agent during the 2024 offseason.

Combine this with all of the camera shots of Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell rolling his eyes back into his head while having to watch backup quarterbacks for the last few weeks, and Cousins returning to Minnesota for next season becomes even more believable.

For those who might be freaking out about the possibility of Cousins staying with the Vikings past the 2023 campaign, this doesn't mean that the team isn't going to make an effort to select one of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

Minnesota could still keep Cousins around for another year or two, which would allow any young signal-caller they add to sit and learn from the sidelines without having to feel like they're being rushed out onto the field before they're ready.

So unless he suffers a significant setback while rehabbing his torn Achilles or he's looking to be paid an obnoxious amount of money, Cousins suiting up in a Vikings uniform in 2024 seems like a safe bet to make.