Kirk Cousins drops hint about his future with Vikings

Oct 8, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Cousins is headed for free agency as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles, but it sounds like his preference is to remain with his current team.

Cousins spoke with reporters on Monday about his future. The veteran quarterback was asked if he would consider taking a hometown discount with the Minnesota Vikings, and he had a very telling response.

“That’s a great question and one I’ve thought about pretty much my whole 12 years,” Cousins said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I do think it’s important to be aware of. I think that God has blessed me financially beyond my wildest dreams. So at this stage in my career, the dollars are really not what it’s about.”

Cousins has navigated his contract situations masterfully throughout his career, and the end result is that he has earned more than $230 million on the field over 12 seasons. He played under the franchise tag for two consecutive seasons with Washington in 2016 and 2017. Cousins then signed a 3-year, $84 million contract with the Vikings as a free agent in 2018. At the time, the deal was the first ever fully guaranteed contract in the NFL and made Cousins the highest-paid player in the league.

Now 35 and recovering from a major injury, Cousins will not be looking to set any contractual records. He told reporters that “structure is probably more important” with his next deal than the total dollar figure.

Cousins was playing at a high level before he tore his Achilles. He had 2,331 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions in 8 games. The Vikings do not appear to have a viable replacement for him on their roster, so chances are the two sides will work something out.