Despite speculation linking him with a mid-season trade, Kirk Cousins is expected to stay with the Minnesota Vikings through the end of the 2023 season.
That’s according to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, who cites league sources who say Cousins will “not look to waive the no-trade clauses in his contract.”
Cousins has been mentioned in trade rumors since the Vikings started the season with four losses out of five, with the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons named among the possible destinations.
But Cousins stated this week the rumors have not registered on his radar as he remains focused on the next game for the Vikings, even though his future beyond the end of the season is not certain given he only signed a year-long extension with the Vikings.
“I’m just very focused on the Bears and going 1-0 this week. Anything else is not worth my time, energy, or attention,” Cousins said earlier this week.
With Cousins 35-years-old, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell have stopped short of confirming Cousins is in the Vikings’ long term plans, but another extension is a possibility in the offseason depending on where the Vikings end up in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Even if they are in line to draft a high-end rookie quarterback, the Vikings may still prefer for them to spend at least a year learning from an experienced signal-caller, while Cousins himself has said he intends to earn a new contract beyond the 2023 season, saying in May that he wants to be in Minnesota.
If the Vikings lose to the Bears this weekend, there will certainly be even more calls for the Vikings to sell and look towards the future, especially since the undefeated 49ers await on Oct. 23.
Related: ESPN suggests 2 possible trades for the Vikings ahead of deadline
