Speaking to the media the day after the NFL trade deadline, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said all options are still available for Kirk Cousins.
“Every option is still available with Kirk,” Adofo-Mensah said when asked about Cousins’ future with the Vikings.
Cousins’ season ended Sunday after tearing his Achilles tendon in the Vikings’ 24-10 win over the Packers. Cousins had been playing out the final year of his deal with Minnesota after failing to come to terms on an extension last offseason.
The 35-year-old age, injury and status as a pending free agent all carry significant weight in the decision to bring him back or not.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on Tuesday seemed to hint that he would like Cousins back in 2024.
“Kirk Cousins is going to be healthy again, I know he’s going to be a free agent after this season, but Kirk knows how I feel about him, and that’ll be something that will hopefully work itself out,” the coach said.
If the Vikings decide to look elsewhere, they will have plenty of draft ammunition after adding two more picks in the 2024 draft during Tuesday’s frenzy of moves, which brings their pick total to nine.
With nine games left in the 2023 season, the Vikings will get plenty of time to look at their current options of Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens, though it’s widely expected none of those three are the long-term answer.
Cousins underwent successful surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon early Wednesday morning.
