Kirk Cousins’ value to the Minnesota Vikings continued to skyrocket on Sunday night and all he did was remove his shirt and sound the Gjallarhorn before the game to the delight of fans at U.S. Bank Stadium.
What followed Cousins’ literal flex high above the field was the reason why he very well could be back in Minnesota on his terms — and those terms don’t figure to be overly team-friendly.
The Vikings’ embarrassing 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers gave Jaren Hall his second opportunity of the season to start at quarterback, following the benching of Nick Mullens.
Mullens had been benched after consecutive losses to Cincinnati and Detroit in which he threw six picks. Mullens had replaced Josh Dobbs, who played in five games (four starts) before he was benched during a 3-0 victory in Las Vegas.
Hall had gotten off to a strong start in his Nov. 5 start in Atlanta — the game after Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles’ injury in Green Bay — but he suffered a concussion in the first quarter after completing 5-of-6 passes for 78 yards and scrambling for 11 yards on two carries.
But given the opportunity to prove he could be more responsible with the football than Dobbs and Mullens, Hall looked as lost as the rest of them. Calling it a debacle would be kind. Hall completed 5-of-10 passes for 67 yards but also threw an interception and lost a fumble on a sack as the Packers took a 23-3 lead entering halftime.
The fans who had cheered Cousins booed the Vikings off the field, and Hall was benched for Mullens in the second half.
Cousins might have felt bad for his teammates, but the savvy negotiator has to know he’s in a prime position to cash in again. Mullens and Dobbs have no future in Minnesota and Hall showed he isn’t near being ready to start. So either the Vikings will draft a quarterback in the first round, or they will bring back Cousins on a two- or three-year deal that won’t be cheap.
The guess here is the Vikings will go with the latter over the former.
After watching Vikings coach and chief play-caller Kevin O’Connell operate without Cousins for the past eight games, it’s clear his stated desire to retain Cousins isn’t just lip service.
Cousins might not have shown improvement in certain statistical categories last season in leading the Vikings to 13 wins, but it was clear he and O’Connell were on the same page more often than not. That continued this season as Cousins posted impressive stats, despite the fact the Vikings started 1-4. Minnesota had improved to 4-4 with a victory against the Packers in the game in which Cousins was injured.
The winning streak eventually grew to five before everything came crashing down. Sunday’s loss was the Vikings’ third in a row and fifth in the past six games, giving them an opportunity to get a Top 10 pick in the NFL draft this spring with a loss in the regular-season finale next Sunday in Detroit.
That could put them in a position to grab a quarterback in the opening round, but here’s the issue: If the Vikings are planning to be competitive next season — and this team has never shown a willingness to take a step back for future success — it likely means they will retain Cousins and then draft defensive help in the first round. Especially if defensive end Danielle Hunter is allowed to leave in free agency because Cousins and wide receiver Justin Jefferson both receive rich contract extensions this offseason.
Cousins will turn 36 next August, will be entering his 13th season and coming off a significant injury. It’s uncertain how much quality play Cousins has left. But what is certain is Cousins’ absence has given the Vikings a greater appreciation for what they had in him and it’s likely that will be enough to keep him in purple.
Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com.
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