Vikings GM drops hint on QB plans entering 2024

The Minnesota Vikings ended the 2023 season with a whimper, losing four straight games to fall out of postseason contention. The downward slide started when Kirk Cousins ruptured his Achilles in Week 8. Now, the veteran quarterback prepares to navigate the tricky waters of free agency.

The question is, will the Vikings have him back?

Cousins' future with the franchise has been in doubt all season. At 36 years old, he is reaching the tail end of his athletic prime. The Vikings could justify moving on and looking toward the future. Cousins' expiring contract was a topic of debate before the injury. After the injury, it only became more difficult to gauge how exactly the Vikings should approach the situation.

While speaking with reporters, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah offered insight into Minnesota's frame of mind with the offseason right around the corner.

"I think I've been pretty consistent with [wanting Kirk Cousins back]," said Adofo-Mensah, h/t ESPN. "I thought we were playing pretty good football before he got injured [in Week 8]. It's the most important position in sports. Now, ultimately it always comes down to, 'Can you find an agreement that works for all sides,' and all those things. But as a player, it's certainly my intention to have him back here."

A fairly unambiguous endorsement from Adofo-Mensah. Cousins spent the last six years as the face of Minnesota football. Before the injury, he was tied for the NFL lead in passing touchdowns (18) and second in passing yards (2,331). Cousins has made three of his four career Pro Bowl appearances with the Vikings.

That said, just because the Vikings want Cousins back, doesn't mean the two sides will ultimately strike a deal. When asked about potentially signing Cousins to multiple guaranteed years on his next contract, Adofo-Mensah hedged his bets.

"At the end of the day, you're just taking risks. We'll try to measure it the best we can to protect ourselves and ensure against it, and on his side, he's trying to take less risks. That's his job. They should do that. We'll try to find a place in the middle and see where we end up."

Cousins told reporters earlier in the week that the "structure" of his next contract is paramount, presumably alluding to the desire for multiple guaranteed years. If the Vikings don't cough up the dough, several NFL teams can tempt Cousins with a juicier offer. For one, he lives in Atlanta during the offseason, and we all know the Falcons need a QB.

Vikings want to re-sign Kirk Cousins, but there's no guarantee

Ultimately, Cousins' future will be decided by how much stock the Vikings put in concerns about his age and his injury. If Minnesota believes Cousins has multiple years of peak performance left in the tank, it shouldn't be difficult to cough up a hefty, multi-year offer. When right, Cousins still slings the pigskin better than most. He's a top-10 QB with over a decade of NFL experience to lean on.

That said, it's difficult to place absolute trust in a 36-year-old coming off his first major leg injury. Cousins operates mostly stationary in the pocket, but only a fool would discount the importance of knee strength when it comes to maneuvering traffic and throwing. If Cousins doesn't trust his knee, or more injuries pop up in the future, he's liable to decline at a rapid rate.

The Vikings clearly suffered in Cousins' absence, for what it's worth. After a hot start, Josh Dobbs quickly fell out of favor after the trade deadline. The backup to the backup, Nick Mullens, wasn't any better. Minnesota could promote Jaren Hall in his second NFL season or select a quarterback in the NFL Draft (or both), but it will be difficult to replicate Cousins' standard production without a splashy trade or, well, re-signing Cousins.

It's clear that is what both sides want — to reunite. Now, we will see how much each side wants that.