Playing out the final year of his contract, Kirk Cousins‘ future with the Minnesota Vikings is uncertain, making him a prime trade candidate approaching the league deadline on October 31.
Few men know the ins and outs of the Vikings organization better than Kyle Rudolph, who believes Minnesota will stick with Cousins and consequentially be stuck in quarterback purgatory.
The former Pro Bowl tight end who spent a decade in Minnesota weighed in on Cousins’ future after he pitched the idea of a trade to the New York Jets after Aaron Rodgers‘ hamstring injury.
“When I mentioned this back in Week 2 there was no way he’s going to get traded,” Rudolph told Andrew Siciliano on “The Rich Eisen Show” this week. “There’s too much pride in these organizations. Like you said, ‘We’re not going to lose any games, we’re going to play well and win games and make the playoffs.’ but if you think about the long-term trajectory of the organization… what’s the long-term goal of that organization? They want to win a championship. I know the mentality of the Wilf family. The only reason that they do it is to win a Super Bowl and to bring the first Super Bowl to Minnesota.
Pride often gets in the way of more trades happening in the NFL, which Rudolph believes will be the case for Cousins. If Cousins stays, Rudolph sees Minnesota being stuck, landing in the middle of the first round of next year’s draft and out of range of selecting a top college prospect at quarterback.
“Ultimately, I think it’s a lot of talk and speculation and I don’t see anything happening,” Rudolph said. “The Vikings will be stuck.”
Kyle Rudolph Addresses Vikings Regime’s Lack of Commitment to Kirk Cousins
GettyKyle Rudolph addressed the Vikings’ decision to send Kirk Cousins into a contract year for the 2023 season.
Rudolph went on to entertain the new regime under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s thought process after the Vikings declined to take a team-friendly, long-term contract extension from Cousins’ camp this offseason.
“If you believe that Kirk is the guy, why is he playing out this last year of his contract? He should be extended, which would free up more cap room to bring in other players and certainly to lock up your No. 1 player and the best receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson,” Rudolph said.
The front office’s decision to send Cousins into a contract year and allow him to reach the open market this offseason is a sign the Vikings are striving to draft a top quarterback prospect in next year’s draft.
However, given Cousins’ competent play and the unlikely chance he moves on, Cousins could again lead the Vikings to a middling season. The Vikings have averaged 9.4 wins a season with Cousins since 2018, leaving them out of reach to land a top-5 pick but still far away from contender status.
“The writing is on the wall that that’s not the direction you’re going in and he’s only going to get more expensive as he hits the open market in the offseason. What sets you up for the most success in the future? It would be getting potentially the Jets’ first-round pick next year, some other picks and packaging them… they might not have to trade up, right now they’re 1-4. Justin’s out for at least a month.
“But they’re in a division where I think they’ll win a few more games simply because of the competition. You don’t want to go out and win 6 or 7 games and have the 10th overall pick. You’re stuck unless you have another pick you can package together and take one of those guys you like in the top 3.”
Vikings’ 2024 Draft Projections
Through five weeks, the Vikings own the second-worst record in the league and hold the fourth pick in the upcoming 2024 draft.
With the Chicago Bears (1-4) and Denver Broncos (1-5) facing similar questions at the quarterback position, those two teams are likely to use their picks ahead of Minnesota at the quarterback position.
Tankathon projected the Vikings to use the No. 4 overall pick on Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse, while the Bears and Broncos took quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye No. 1 and No. 2 overall, respectively.
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Kirk Cousins Trade Rumors: Former Vikings Star Breaks Silence