Kirk Cousins.
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Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is being linked to a rival team in the NFC North in a controversial pitch.
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is at the center of NFL free agency this offseason, and multiple teams are talking to him, although he hasn’t signed with a team yet. Cousins’ last deal was a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons that he signed in 2024 with $100 million guaranteed and a $45 million average annual value, according to research from Spotrac, so he runs a pretty penny, and that does deter teams.
But, now, Cousins is being linked to a team that’s actually one of the Vikings’ NFC North rivals. It’s a controversial pitch, because this team is out-of-the-box for Cousins, yet, in a strange way, it would make sense.
Kirk Cousins May End Up With NFC North Rival
The Detroit Lions already have an expensive quarterback in Jared Goff, but the could use a better quarterback room and add depth. The team made the addition of backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater during the NFL offseason, but he’s rusty, so they could use someone who’s a veteran and still has fresh experience.
In a Wednesday, April 1 feature for Detroit Jock City, Andrew Hughes makes the case for Cousins going to the Detroit Lions, a Vikings rival. “Even though (Teddy) Bridgewater has plenty of experience (65 career starts), his mobility is nowhere near where it was since a 2016 ACL tear with the Minnesota Vikings, further limiting his abilities at the position,” he states in the piece.
Hughes adds that Bridgewater “was never a gunslinger, so athleticism always let him find guys on checkdowns. At this point, he’s a shell of what he used to be and hasn’t even started a game since 2022.” That’s an “ouch” kind of statement.
Hughes also questions whether Bridgewater “could handle the wear and tear of a full season.” So, one option he serves up is Cousins.
“Kirk Cousins was designated for a June 1 release by the Atlanta Falcons last month and is actively looking for work,” he states in the feature. “Though he’s in demand, the Lions would do well to inquire, especially given an obvious connection to the coaching staff.”
As any good Vikings fan knows, the Lions’ new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, worked with Cousins in 2018, when Petzing was the assistant quarterbacks coach in Minnesota.
“Even if Cousins is a long shot, the Lions can’t ignore the fact that their QB2 issue isn’t solved,” Hughes explains in the piece. “It’s in their best interest to leave no stone unturned to find a legitimate backup for Goff, or else the Lions will be just asking for trouble if Bridgewater is their main insurance policy.”
Another Team Pegged for Kirk Cousins
A team that isn’t a direct Vikings rival that’s being talked about for Cousins is the Las Vegas Raiders. In a March 16 feature, John Breech of CBS Sports pegs Cousins for Vegas.
“Cousins would obviously prefer to go to a team where he might be able to start, but with those options drying up, the Raiders would make a lot of sense,” he notes. “For one, this would reunite him with Klint Kubiak. The Raiders new head coach spent three seasons (2019-21) in Minnesota with Cousins.”
He adds, “Kubiak was Vikings’ QB coach for two years before being promoted to offensive coordinator, so he worked closely with Cousins in Minnesota.”