Kirk, Or A Potential First Round QB in 2024?

So if they are looking at 2024 and beyond (and they did not acquire a quarterback who could be an option for starting in 2024), where does that leave Cousins?

The veteran QB, who will be 36 years old next year, does not have a contract for next season. The Vikings would need to re-sign him amidst his recovery if they want to go forward with him under center.

On Tuesday, O’Connell argued that Cousins’ performance through eight games was the best that he’d played during his career. Had he continued that level of play and the Vikings reached the playoffs, it seems nearly inevitable that he would have been back in purple next year. But now that he has suffered a major injury, it stands to reason that the Vikings’ path could head in the direction of drafting a quarterback or looking for veteran options.

Adofo-Mensah said that his view on the future at QB hasn’t been moved because of the Achilles tear.

“I don’t think it changes our long-term picture at all,” he said.

The history of quarterbacks past the age of 35 isn’t all that promising unless you are destined for the Hall of Fame like Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers. For example, Joe Flacco was a New York Jet at age 35. Jay Cutler was retired. Ryan Tannehill hit a cliff last year at 34. Even Matt Ryan and Eli Manning were not the same after hitting their mid-30s.

But Adofo-Mensah pushed back on the idea that all players of a certain age are the same when it comes to their age curves.

“I know what his age is, but his process makes him younger,” Adofo-Mensah said. “You saw also on the Quarterback show what he puts into his body. I kind of compare it to somebody like LeBron [James], who knows that his body and his mind are the things that make him super valuable, so he puts a lot of time into them. I don’t think he’s a normal 35- year-old person in that regard, and you talk about an Achilles injury, how does that impact his game and his particular skill set? These are all things that we’ll think about when we go into those discussions.”

So the injury does not seem to clarify the situation. It would appear to make a future negotiation more muddy. What does a team pay for a 36-year-old quarterback coming off an Achilles injury? How many other teams would be willing to pay a higher price than whatever the Vikings would set on him? How accurately could they predict his future, even if his recovery timeline is the best-case scenario?

When he was asked whether he wants Cousins to return, this is how Adofo-Mensah responded:

“Kirk played great,” he said. “I think my ‘want’ for Kirk to come back isn’t just a ‘me’ thing. You know, it’s a negotiation. You come together at the table, and you try and see if everything works together, and we’ll have that dialogue when the time comes.”

There have been reports that the Vikings wanted to extend Cousins last offseason but the two sides could not reach an agreement on the length and dollars. It’s hard to say whether the injury makes a short-term deal easy to work out or the dollars hard to settle on. There are also about a dozen teams who could arguably need a quarterback and only a few of them are going to land first-round quarterbacks. That could mean lots of competition for his services, even if Cousins would prefer to remain a Viking.

“I think at the end of the day, you want to identify where you need to be and where you’re at,” Adofo-Mensah said. “How do you fill that gap? And how do you fill that gap in a way that allows you to compete today and give yourself odds of getting to that ultimate space? So typically, flexibility helps you in all those matters, right?”

If the NFL is willing to pay Daniel Jones that much, even a bandaged up Cousins is worth more, right? Does the gap is between the roster they have right now and rosters that win the Super Bowl get filled with a $40 million per year quarterback, even if he continues to play at a high level? Then how do they do things like potentially keeping Danielle Hunter, extending Justin Jefferson and adding talent at pass rusher, defensive back, running back and possibly replace or keep a free agent receiver like KJ Osborn?

Does it come down to what happens next? If the Vikings end up 10-7 behind Brian Flores’ defense, would that take them too far out of range to grab a quarterback in the draft and entice them to speed up the timeline and bring back Cousins and take a big swing at 2024?

“I look at every scenario. I just map them out: ‘This is what it looks like if we do this, this, this,’” Adof-Mensah said. “And ultimately at the end of the day, what came down for me is, I didn’t think that playing for this year did anything material to seriously impact anything in the future.”

1. Let’s start with Cousins. Adofo-Mensah began with a message of support for the injured quarterback. He was asked whether he wants to re-sign Cousins, who can become a free agent after the season.

“My want for Kirk to come back is not just a me thing,” Adofo-Mensah said. “It’s a negotiation. You come together at a table and try to see if everything works together. We’ll have that dialogue when the time comes.”

Translation: Cousins’ return is dependent on the two sides finding a match in terms of finances and length of the deal.

Cousins’ impending free agency may complicate things, even with his torn Achilles tendon. He’ll be 36 years old by the time the 2024 season rolls around, but, health permitting, he will still be one of the most attractive quarterback options on the market. It is impossible to know which teams would be willing to pay him what he wants, but the Patriots, Falcons and Commanders could have QB needs and the necessary capital to consummate a deal.

A host of other factors could sway the final decision on both sides. But at the very least, Adofo-Mensah kept the door ajar for a return.

“All options are open as they were before the injury,” he said.

2. While we’re on the subject of Cousins …

“He was playing some of the best football in the league,” Adofo-Mensah said.

He commented multiple times about how he and O’Connell believed Cousins would improve in year No. 2 in O’Connell’s system. And while that is true — both were outspoken about it — Adofo-Mensah seemed more complimentary of Cousins than ever. Almost as if the quarterback had finally proved he could elevate the offense to a new level even without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

In the past, when reporters asked Adofo-Mensah about Cousins, he often said something like, “He rises to the necessary threshold to win big.” Nothing of the sort was said Wednesday — just cold, hard praise.

5. Remember what Adofo-Mensah told USA Today about the odds of nailing a quarterback selection in the draft?

“One shot, your odds are at best 65 percent,” he said.

Gulp.

Again, this speaks to his statistical background. The numbers back up his comment. To expect to be able to do something better than others have throughout history would be naive. Still, the odds — as well as looming financial commitments to such players as Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw — complicate the discussion about how to build the team. Adofo-Mensah isn’t hiding from that.

“It’s going to take creativity and performance on the margins. But I believe in our staff, our coaching staff. I believe in the people in this building and football operations and player development to solve these issues.”