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The biggest talking point for the Minnesota Vikings all offseason has revolved around the contract situation of QB Kirk Cousins. With the extension announced earlier in the week, the focus now turns to putting the best team around Cousins to attempt to make a run in the playoffs.
The Vikings signal-caller joined the Common Man Progrum Tuesday afternoon to discuss his new contract along with many other topics.
Cousins talked about the overall process of getting the extension done with new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
“It was a positive back and forth over a few days,” Cousins said. “So now we’ve done three contracts with the Vikings, so it’s been a very positive process all three times. Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] was outstanding, was really strong just communicating to me, Kevin [O’Connell] as well. Being upfront, proactive, getting on the phone communicating to me the plan, the vision, what it’s going to take. Just kind of getting on the same page I thought was really healthy and I told them that before we got off the phone.”
Trade speculation was another piece of the Cousins offseason extravaganza, but he felt confident Minnesota was the place for him and his family.
“I was very confident that I was going to be a Minnesota Viking. This league is crazy, and anything can happen,” Cousins said. “I’ve watched it too many times to believe otherwise, but if I’m a betting man I expect to be back with the Vikings and expect to be back not only for the coming season but for a long time.”
O’Connell has a past with Cousins working as the quarterbacks coach in Washington in 2017. Many rumors circulated that the past regime didn’t have a great working relationship with the Vikings quarterback.
“Kevin [O’Connell] and I will be just a great relationship working together,” Cousins said. “Putting together the game plans and trying to learn what he wants to do. I’ve gotta learn a whole new offense in terms of the terminology, the reads and even the footwork.”
With a new head coach coming in the door, some analysts figured the Vikings to be in rebuild mode. However, that doesn’t sound like it’s the plan for Cousins and the new regime has reiterated it as well.
“Come September nobody’s giving you a free pass because it’s a new coach or you have less time on task together,” Cousins said. “You have to be on the same page as if you’ve been working together for a decade. And that’s really what we have to do between now and then is create that kind of familiarity which is a tall task but we gotta get it done.”
Cousins doubled down on his feelings and how he believes the roster is still full of talent.
“I feel really good about our roster as I look across the board at the pieces, I think we have the pieces that you need to win,” Cousins said. “It’s about getting caught up in the system so we can really have command of both our offensive and defensive schemes and play fast and not have to think.”
Whether or not the new regime’s plan to extend Cousins was a good decision remains to be seen. There’s still free agency news to follow along with the draft, both of which will better determine the outlook of the 2022 season.
Expectations will be through the roof in year one, which could be a tough task for Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell. Having an already proven quarterback with top-ten potential should only make that task easier for the new leadership.
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