Vikings: Kirk Cousins and 2 more scapegoats if things go wrong in Minnesota

Kirk Cousins will be blamed if Vikings miss the playoffs for third season in a row

While Kirk Cousins has been consistently around a top-12 quarterback in the league since entering his prime with Washington about half a decade ago, there will be a lot of pressure on him this season, no doubt. Having an offensive-minded coach at the helm in Kevin O’Connell should have Cousins playing presumably the best ball of his career. With weapons galore, what can go wrong?

Though he will get credit if the team plays well, everybody will quickly point the finger at Cousins should he underwhelm. This comes with the territory of being a highly compensated franchise quarterback. While his stats will likely remain excellent, all that really matters when it comes to Cousins this year is can he finally win the big games in a key spot. Or will it be more of the same?

Cousins is currently on a full-guaranteed contract with Minnesota. He has a no-trade clause. While he is technically under contract through his age-37 season in 2025, the last two years of his Vikings deal automatically void. Simply put, if the Vikings struggle this fall and fail to make the playoffs for the third year in a row, Minnesota may try to get out of the Cousins business entirely.

For an incredibly consistent player, Cousins’ upcoming season is one carrying a ton of variance.