It must be exhausting being Kirk Cousins. One day the big debate on social media is if he’s worth of Hall of Fame consideration, and the very next day he’s being chided on ESPN.
Ryan Clark, the former NFL safety who has blossomed into a talking head on ESPN, essentially said Cousins isn’t a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback because he hasn’t taken the Vikings to the promised land despite being surrounded by high-end weapons like Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, Kyle Rudolph, T.J. Hockenson and Dalvin Cook since joining the Vikings in 2018.
“I just don’t believe that Kirk Cousins is that quarterback and I think that the Minnesota Vikings feel the same way,” said Clark, offering nothing to support his claim that he thinks Minnesota’s front office feels the same as he does about Cousins.
“When is it that your franchise guy, the guy just led you to a division title, a guy that just put you in the playoffs, gets to play in the last year of his contract?” Clark wondered. “That happens when you’re unsure of his future. That happens when you’re unsure if you want him to be your franchise quarterback going forward.
“That’s where Kirk Cousins is because that’s where Kirk Cousins has been.”
.@Realrclark25 isn't sold on the Vikings as long as Kirk Cousins is their QB đź‘€
"I just don't believe that Kirk Cousins is that quarterback, and I think that the Minnesota Vikings feel the same way." pic.twitter.com/vEkVc7JRxU
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 13, 2023
Cousins is entering the final year of his contract so it’s certainly possible that he plays out the 2023 season without any future guarantees and then is free to sign wherever he pleases as a free agent in 2024.
It’s also possible that the Vikings work out a contract extension with Cousins, though if anything is happening behind the scenes it has remained radio silent.
