The Minnesota Vikings are in a bit of a conundrum right now.
On the one hand, they could look to pay Kirk Cousins what he’s asking and get him the long-term deal he wants.
On the other hand, they’ve been trying to shave their payroll for quite a while, and they need to save up to pay Justin Jefferson and still have some salary cap flexibility.
Nonetheless, as complicated as this may seem, NFL analyst Craig Carton believes this should be an easy choice for the Vikings.
Talking on The Carton Show, he stated that the Vikings are so close to being a playoff team, yet they won’t stand a chance to even sniff the postseason if Cousins is no longer on the team.
“If you’re the Minnesota Vikings, you have no other options. You don’t have a quarterback on your roster,” Carton said.
“If I’m a #Vikings fan, you better do everything in your power to make sure Kirk Cousins is under contract.”
— @craigcartonlive pic.twitter.com/1tHht9lURh
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) February 20, 2024
They don’t have a backup, and those veterans who might be available aren’t as good as Cousins, at least as the last version of him we saw.
That’s a valid assessment, and Cousins has grown to be a fan favorite and a leader in the locker room, even if he’s lost a step after his injury.
Still, signing an aging veteran coming off a major injury comes with plenty of risk.
Perhaps the Vikings could look to trade up in the NFL Draft to get a quarterback, as Cousins is likely to demand a steep payday, and using a big chunk of the salary cap on two players might not be in their best interest.
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