According to Jordan Schultz, there’s a lot of mutual interest between the Vikings and QB Kirk Cousins in continuing their partnership beyond this season.
Schultz says the way things have unfolded this year, which is the last year of Cousins’ deal with Minnesota, has made both sides much more receptive to something like a one-year deal for the 2024 season.
He adds Cousins has great relationships with a lot of people in Minnesota, including HC Kevin O’Connell. While Cousins has a clear path to unrestricted free agency and will be in high demand from other teams, Schultz notes it feels like Cousins’ relationship with the Vikings has been “rekindled.”
Before Cousins tore his Achilles, he was in the midst of a career season and the Vikings were rebounding from an 0-3 start to the season. They’re currently 6-4 and have won five straight, including the last two without Cousins and the last five without WR Justin Jefferson.
Other reports have indicated the Vikings are interested in keeping Cousins in 2024, as he might be their best option at quarterback in 2024, perhaps paired with a draft pick.
There should still be plenty of teams interested in Cousins given the state of the quarterback position around the league, so the veteran will have options. It’s clear that returning to the Vikings is still very much in play, however.
Cousins, 35, is a former fourth-round pick of Washington back in 2012. He played out the final year of his rookie contract before being franchised in back-to-back seasons.
Cousins later departed in free agency for a three-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings. He was entering the final year of his contract in 2020 when he agreed to a two-year, $66 million contract extension. In 2021, he agreed to a new one-year, $35 million contract extension that was also fully guaranteed.
He’s in the final year of that deal in 2023 and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
In 2023, Cousins appeared in eight games for the Vikings and completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions.
We’ll have more on Cousins as the news is available.
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