It looked like the Minnesota Vikings were in rebuild mode after firing head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman.
Former Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah replace those men in their respective positions.
But while the think tank changed, the team made it clear that they are not tearing the team apart after signing quarterback Kirk Cousins to a one-year, $35 million extension.
The fully-guaranteed deal means that he will be the Vikings’ starter at least until the 2023 NFL season.
Cousins didn’t do badly in 2021, finishing with 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions.
However, the Vikings failed to enter the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Now that he gets to play in Minnesota a bit longer, Cousins tweeted his reaction regarding the extension.
Now that that’s out of the way…let’s get to work on a Lombardi #LetsFrickinGo 😁
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) March 14, 2022
He said, “Now that that’s out of the way… let’s get to work on a Lombardi #LetsFrickinGo.”
The Vikings have the weapons to become a contender in the NFC, especially with running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
However, they need much improvement on defense if they are to become an elite team.
Losing alone to the Detroit Lions on a blown coverage is enough proof that upgrades are due on that side of the ball.
Otherwise, re-signing Cousins will be a waste of money.
Cousins Is Not The Reason For The Vikings’ Failures
Yes, he does have his slip-ups.
However, the former Michigan State alum is one of the steadiest quarterbacks in the NFL.
From 2015 to 2021, his touchdown to interception ratio never went below 14th best, and he ranked third in 2021.
Over the same time frame, his lowest-ranked passer rating was 93.9, making him 11th among starting quarterbacks.
O’Connell may bring another dimension to their offense that can make Jefferson his Cooper Kupp in Minnesota.
But there’s no sense making these plays if their defense can’t stop anyone.
NEXT: 2 NFL Teams That Could Trade For Kirk Cousins