The Minnesota Vikings disappointing 0-2 start to the season has sparked discussions not only among fans but also among former players as well.
Some people blame Cousins for the Vikings lack of success. I am not one of those people. Cousins will go down as one of the most underrated players of this generation.
Despite their 0-2 start, Cousins is off to another great start individually. It’s certainly not too late for Minnesota to turn their season around – and Sunday’s showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers will go a long ways towards that.
There’s a lot of speculation about the Vikings moving on from Cousins. He’s somewhat of a lame duck since his contract expires after this season and Minnesota clearly isn’t chomping at the bit to get an extension done.
Should the Vikings move on from Cousins? Well, you can count one of Cousins’ friends and former teammates as someone who believes they should.
Former tight end Kyle Rudolph appeared on FOX Sports Radio and said, “it’s worth a conversation.”
“If you’re the Vikings, I think it’s a phone call that you have to take. What are (teams) willing to give you for a guy who, ultimately, he might not be in your plans?” Rudolph continued.
Add former #Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph to the list of people who thinks Minnesota should consider trading QB Kirk Cousins this season https://t.co/iGvD7ThHI1
— The Viking Age (@TheVikingAge) September 19, 2023
Rudolph, who spent a decade with the Vikings and played alongside Cousins for three seasons, is well-acquainted with the quarterback’s tenure in Minnesota.
He highlighted the initial purpose behind Cousins’ signing in the 2018 free agency.
“Kirk Cousins was brought to Minnesota to get them over the hump, to win a Super Bowl coming off an NFC Championship Game loss,” Rudolph emphasized.
“The quarterback was supposed to be the missing piece that put a super-talented roster over the top to win a championship. We’re at this spot, from an organizational standpoint, where … Where are you going? Why haven’t you extended him?”
Rudolph went on to express his concern that, in his view, the Cousins experiment hasn’t yielded the expected results for the Vikings.
While he remains optimistic about the 2023 season and believes that the team shouldn’t abandon their current campaign just yet, he believes that the organization’s hesitance to extend Cousins should prompt them to explore potential trade opportunities.
“Put simply, it hasn’t worked out,” Rudolph explained. “With winnable games against the Chargers and Panthers up next, we shouldn’t give up on this season.”
“However, our long-term commitment to Cousins, or lack thereof, should only incentivize the club to engage teams like the Jets, who could desperately use emergency QB help.”
While it’s true the Vikings don’t lack talent, imagine a quarterback with the skill-set of Cousins on the Jets? Gang Green would catapult right back to being Super Bowl contenders.
Again, it’s not too late for Minnesota to turn it around. Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t.
But right or wrong, if Cousins isn’t in their long-term plans and they feel like a re-boot is needed within the franchise, the Vikings might be wise to shop Cousins around and see what they can get in return for him, rather than seeing him walk out the door for nothing after the season.
What do you think of Cousins?
What do you think the future holds for him?