$35 Million Star Predicted to Part Ways With Vikings After 2023
Minnesota Vikings fans are used to saying goodbye to their favorite players, which is a good thing because more of the same is on the way.
The Vikings chose not to trade Kirk Cousins or Danielle Hunter before the October 31, 2023 deadline. But the team also decided not to extend either of them in the offseason. As a result, both will be free agents next March.
David Kenyon of Bleacher Report predicted on Saturday, November 11 that Cousins will leave Minnesota for a new team before the start of the 2024 campaign. Cousins should be healthy in time for the 2024 season, barring an atypical recovery. He’s also 36 years old, and the Vikings already have a cluttered cap space that absolutely must make room for stretch superstar Justin Jefferson. Linebackers Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport are also free agents.
There is also the variable of Joshua Dobbs and rookie Jaren Hall. If either plays well and leads Minnesota to the playoffs in Cousins’ absence, would the Vikings be comfortable committing to him? If his doctor forbids, Cousins is a valuable QB in free agency. He might not stay in Minnesota.
Cousins has been a polarizing figure in his six years as the Vikings’ starter, often caught in the debate over whether he’s just an above-average quarterback or good enough to lead the right team to the Super Bowl.
In his first five campaigns in Minnesota, Cousins has led the Vikings to the playoffs twice (2019, 2022) and posted a 1-2 postseason record. The QB also earned Pro Bowl honors in three of those campaigns (2019, 2021, 2022). Cousins was on his way to his second Pro Bowl and ranked among the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL (based on the 2023 season alone) before suffering an Achilles tear on the 29th against the Green Bay Packers. October
Cousins led the league in tackle attempts (311), sacks (216) and touchdowns (18), according to Pro Football Reference. He completed 69.5% of his passes for 2,331 yards and led the Vikings to a three-game hitting streak without Jefferson that saved the team’s season.
It’s hard to predict how much of an impact Cousins’ injury will have on his performance going forward. An Achilles tear used to mean a career death sentence, which is no longer possible due to medical advances. However, Cousins will play his 13th NFL season in 2024 and will be closer to 40 than 30.
Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall offer the Vikings a chance to save money at the QB position
Another question for the Vikings is how much it will cost to keep Cousins.
The QB will make $35 million this season and will average nearly $31 million per year over six years in Minnesota. The NFL’s highest-paid signal callers now make more than $50 million a year, and given how well Cousins was playing before the injury, it’s hard to imagine him taking a major payday.
Even if Cousins is willing to take less money, he wants compensation in the form of additional years, which could lead to complications. Minnesota took that into account when the team selected Hall in the fifth round of the 2023 draft. The rookie looked competent in his first career start against the Atlanta Falcons last weekend, but left the game in the first quarter with a concussion.
The Vikings replaced Hall with Dobbs, whom they had acquired from the Arizona Cardinals just five days earlier. Dobbs turned in one of the most impressive performances of the year, leading the Vikings to victory despite barely knowing the playbook or any of his teammates.
Hall is playing on a rookie contract worth $4.1 million total. Dobbs is playing on a one-year, $2 million contract. Re-signing Dobbs will cost the Vikings more than that number per year, but his price is still reasonable compared to what Cousins can command.
