NFL Rumors: Kirk Cousins unlikely to accept pay cut to play for Vikings

Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract with the Minnesota Vikings and will turn 34 by the time the new NFL season begins in September. He has a massive cap hit of $45 million for the 2022 season, all of which is guaranteed, before being scheduled to become a free agent in the 2023 offseason, if he doesn't sign a new contract extension.

According to a senior writer for The Athletic, Ben Standig, Cousins is unlikely to help out the Vikings with their salary cap problem. In other words, it's rumored that he wants to be paid what he believes he's worth, regardless of whether or not it negatively impacts the team. This creates a tough situation for the Vikings this year.

His massive $45 million price tag makes him a difficult player to trade this year, unless he is willing to renegotiate his contract. They also can't cut him either because they would owe the entire amount of the contract anyway. The Vikings have a big decision to make about how much they want to commit to Cousins moving forward, considering his mixed results as their starting quarterback.

The large price tag owed to Cousins this season has put the Vikings in a tricky salary cap situation. They are currently projected to be more than $14 million over the limit. If Cousins is willing to sign a contract extension, it could be structured in a way that would give the Vikings more salary cap flexibility this offseason.

While this is a relatively simple solution, it requires participation and commitment from both sides involved. The Vikings will need to want to keep Kirk Cousins as their starting quarterback moving forward for, at least, the next few years. Cousins will also have to want to be there and be willing to sign a more team-friendly deal. The last part is rumored to be an issue.

Kirk Cousins' career with the Vikings

In four years with the Minnesota Vikings, Kirk Cousins has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 16,387 yards and 124 touchdowns. He has thrown just 36 interceptions while recording a 103.5 passer rating. Despite his solid efficiency, he has posted a 33-29-1 record in the regular season. Cousins has helped the Vikings to just one postseason appearance in four years, where they won one game before being eliminated from the NFL Playoffs. For the second straight season, the Vikings missed the playoffs after a 37-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 17.

Cousins is a three-time Pro Bowler (2016, 2019, 2021). This past season, he threw 4,221 yards (9th in the league) for 33 touchdowns (9th) and 7 interceptions (tied for 3rd). His QBR is 52.3 (15th).