The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Kirk Cousins are unable to come to an agreement on a contract.
The parties have communicated, according to NFL source Albert Breer, but the team is hesitant to commit heavily to a 35-year-old who is currently healing from an Achilles tear.
“The current Minnesota brass, now going into its third season, really likes Cousins, but it’s also been made clear that they’re not going to go contractually where the previous regime did twice, and give Cousins a fully guaranteed deal,” Breer stated. “Absent that, Cousins is now in position to hit the market like he did six years ago, this time older and, of course, more injured.”
But much of the power is with the cousins. The void years (2025, 2026, and 2027) on his deal count toward the Vikings’ 2024 salary ceiling, and the team is not permitted to franchise tag him. Minnesota has $24.6M in cap room, according to OTC.
Teams like the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders would be intrigued in a four-time Pro Bowler despite the injury worries. In eight games last season, he tossed eight touchdown passes and had the seventh-best QBR (63.2) in the league.
If he decides to leave Minnesota, Atlanta is most likely his next stop. Like Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is a disciple of Sean McVay.
In the meanwhile, the Vikings may choose to draft a replacement with their 11th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. DraftKings had them as the favorites (+450) to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy as of Monday.
If the team continues to make little to no headway on a new agreement, it is wiser to start planning for life without Cousins.
