The assumption was that the Minnesota Vikings were just renting Kirk Cousins when they brought him back at the trade deadline. As it turns out, the veteran quarterback’s second act in the purple and gold might last longer than just the rest of this season.
According to NFL Network, before finalizing Tuesday’s deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Vikings spoke with Cousins, who previously played for Minnesota from 2018 through 2023, about a potential extension.
It’s unclear whether that would mean a one-year or multi-year deal, but Cousins is playing some of the best football of his career through the first half of the season. His 20 touchdown passes rank second in the NFL, trailing only Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s 23.
Cousins is owed a $10 million roster bonus in March that the team will need to decide whether to pick up. It’s also possible that a new deal could be worked out if Cousins wants to finish his career in Minnesota, as he would be heading into his age-39 season in 2027.
Cousins makes his return to the Vikings’ offense on Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Not only will it be his first start with Minnesota since 2023, but his last game in purple and gold also took place at Lambeau, where he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
Through nine games this season, Cousins produced at a high level for a Raiders offense with far less firepower than he’ll have with the Vikings. He completed 64.1% of his passes for 2,340 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
With the 6-2 Vikings in the thick of the NFC North race, an extension makes plenty of sense for a quarterback familiar with head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive scheme. Still, the decision likely hinges on whether Cousins can prove he’s the missing piece this offense has been searching for.