Andrew Buller-Russ
The Minnesota Vikings first added Kirk Cousins back in the 2017 offseason, hoping the then-one-time Pro Bowl quarterback could help take an already competitive roster to the Super Bowl.
Cousins wasn’t able to lead his team to the playoffs in his first season, and though the Vikings have reached the postseason in 2019 and 2022, they have never advanced past the divisional round with Cousins under center.
After initially signing a three-year, fully-guaranteed $84 million contract with the Vikes back in 2018, Cousins has since agreed to a two-year, $66 million extension in 2020 and has another single-year, $35 million contract for 2023.
Now, the 34-year-old is finally set to enter the final year of his contract in Minnesota, and according to the four-time Pro Bowler, there’s no expectation to sign a new deal this year.
Specifically, Cousins states he hasn’t had any more contract discussions with the team’s front office after previously agreeing not to reach an extension earlier this spring. As far as he knows, Cousins doesn’t anticipate the two sides negotiating another contract until next March.
In response to the decision, Cousins says: “Until then, just focus on this season and the job to do right now.”
The Vikings drafted 25-year-old Jaren Hall out of BYU with the 164th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They also have five-year-pro Nick Mullens on the roster as the likely top backup this season. Cousins has always stated a desire to retire with the Vikings, which is close to where he grew up, after being born in Illinois and raised in Michigan.
Cousins is entering his 12th NFL season and his sixth with the Vikings following their 13-4 season and Wild Card playoff exit loss to the New York Giants. For the first time in his Vikings career, he’ll have the same offensive coordinator for consecutive seasons, yet as he alludes to, there is plenty of uncertainty ahead with his contract status being up in the air.
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