The 2022 NFL regular season schedule is out and teams are counting down to opening day.
Fans of football are also counting the days until the NFL starts back.
However, Minnesota Vikings fans are looking with great intensity at quarterback Kirk Cousins.
There are many reasons those fans are examining every move he makes in 2022.
The first reason comes from the veteran quarterback signing a one-year extension with the team worth $35 million.
In other QB news…
The Vikings are signing Kirk Cousins to a one-year, $35 million fully guaranteed extension, per @TomPelissero pic.twitter.com/dvLmfJO2Jv
— PFF (@PFF) March 13, 2022
In his four seasons with the Vikings, he’s only taken them to the playoffs during one season.
The lack of NFL playoff appearances, along with his contract extension, puts pressure on him to perform now.
Vikings Fans Don’t Want A $35 Million Quarterback Who Can’t Make The Playoffs
While ownership should have high expectations for Cousins, the fans might have the highest expectations.
They are fed up with missing the playoffs.
There’s a fatigue with fans seeing their team miss the playoffs, while the Green Bay Packers punch their ticket to the NFL playoffs.
When you examine the cost of his contract next to Tom Brady, you wonder why you can’t have a better quarterback for less money.
Tom Brady's contract with the Bucs:
🖊️ $50 million (all guaranteed) over the next two years
🖊️ Up to $9 million in incentives
🖊️ No-trade clause
🖊️ No tagging pic.twitter.com/8oPitjBWg3— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) March 20, 2020
If Cousins doesn’t make the playoffs now, fans will call for his head.
That puts all the pressure on him for 2022.
Can Cousins Prove He’s Worth That $35 Million?
With Cousins entering his 11th NFL season, he’s the second-oldest quarterback in the NFC North, behind Aaron Rodgers.
While Rodgers showed how a rookie quarterback can fuel him to become a two-time MVP at his age, Cousins doesn’t have that.
There’s no pressure on him losing his starting job to a rookie quarterback, just pressure to make the playoffs.
But can he turn his career around at 34 years old when the NFL season begins in 2022?
Possibly, if he puts in the work.
He needs to study game film of all his best moments in Minnesota.
He also needs to study his opponents better, so he can be prepared for them.
Doing these things will help some.
However, if his defense can help with turnovers and stopping their opponents, that would help even more.
He can also rely on Dalvin Cook to help on offense with the running game.
This means he has every tool he needs to make improvements in 2022.
But we won’t see if he can utilize those tools until the season begins.
Is 2022 Cousins’ Last Chance With Minnesota?
Everything is in Cousins’ hands with the offense in 2022.
He can help make or break the offense with his play calling and how he performs.
However, the most important thing he can do in 2022 is make the NFL playoffs.
If he can’t do that, it could spell the end for him with Minnesota.
They might cut their losses with him if he cannot make the playoffs.
If they don’t, fans will demand that they fire or trade Cousins.
So with failure, it could mean the end of the Cousins era in Minnesota.
However, with a playoff season, his career can live on with the Vikings.
NEXT: Justin Jefferson Must Prove His Greatness Against The Best In 2022