Former NFL defensive end Chris Long believes the Minnesota Vikings need to "turn the page" when it comes to their relationship with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Until Kirk Cousins finally ends up making a decision about remaining with the Minnesota Vikings or signing with another team, everyone with access to a microphone and a recording device is going to share what they think both the quarterback and the team should do this year.
The latest opinion comes from former NFL defensive end Chris Long, who shared his thoughts about Cousins and the Vikings during a recent episode of his “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast.
“I want to see a shake-up. I want to see Kirk somewhere else. I want to see with somebody else. I want to see them turn the page and start planning for the future.”
Chris Long is right about the Minnesota Vikings needing to plan for the future
Long also mentioned that he could see a scenario in which Minnesota brings Cousins back on a shorter deal and also selects a young quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft, something that many have suggested this offseason.
But he also stated that there isn’t anything that makes him think the Vikings would be a favorite in the NFC next season if Cousins were to re-sign with them this year. Long thinks Minnesota can compete in the NFC North in 2024, but beyond that isn’t something that it seems like he can get behind.
Go ahead and agree or disagree with anything that Long says about Cousins, but he’s definitely right about at least one point that he made. The Vikings need to focus on building for the future, and that starts with putting a plan in action to move on from Cousins sooner rather than later.
This offseason is the perfect time for Minnesota to add some younger pieces to their roster, save some cap space, and acquire additional assets to use in the near future.
For the last six years, the Vikings have tried to find success with Cousins as their starting quarterback, but they’ve only managed to win one playoff game during his tenure with the franchise.
Of course, the blame for Minnesota’s lack of success in the last six seasons doesn’t fall entirely on Cousins’s shoulders. But the Vikings investing more of their future into an aging quarterback who is coming off of a torn Achilles likely isn’t going solve anything.
It’s probably just going to bring them back to the same spot that they’ve been at the end of the majority of Cousins’ six years, which is heading into an offseason with an empty trophy case and bunch of questions.