With Omar Khan not speaking to the media today due to a personal matter, our focus has shifted to the rest of the NFL landscape ahead of this week’s NFL Scouting Combine with free agency in the background two weeks from now. We’ve written about Justin Fields and Russell Wilson so it’s only fitting to write about Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins.
Arguably the top quarterback who is a pending free agent, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is confident Cousins will lead Minnesota again in 2024.
“Kirk knows how I personally feel about him,” O’Connell told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio and Chris Simms. “He knows how our organization feels about him. I believe Kirk wants to be a Minnesota Vikings. I do believe that. I’ve had some great dialogue with him pretty much weekly throughout the offseason…both parties want the same outcome, I do believe. I feel strongly we’re going to be able to get something done.”
Cousins was enjoying a strong season and rallying a Vikings team from a slow start before tearing his Achilles in Week 8. Turning 36 in the summer, there are questions about recovering from such a brutal injury, but Cousins seems to be rehabbing well. Yesterday, he shared these photos of him dropping back and throwing on a tennis court.
While Kirk Cousins might be the top arm potentially available, he’s also set to become the most expensive. One of the most business-savvy players in NFL history with over $200 million in career earnings, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to sign a multi-year, fully guaranteed contract with a three-year, $84 million deal in 2018.
Such a deal may be hard to come by at this stage of his career, but he won’t be cheap to re-sign or on the open market. It’s unclear when Cousins will decide his future, and the rehab of his Achilles could play a role in that timeline. While unlikely to come to Pittsburgh, crossing his name off the list would take away one name that has been at least mentioned in connection with the Steelers, though like the other names, it’s almost been entirely speculation as opposed to actual reporting.
