Rumors of the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins splitting up have run rampant for several seasons. The preface of the rumors surrounds the Vikings’ embattled quarterback.
The Minnesota signal-caller has dealt with criticism that comes with the public eye of playing QB in the NFL, but naysayers have doubted Cousins his entire career.
The Vikings’ franchise QB doesn’t possess the high-end athleticism that wows NFL front offices from coast to coast. He also didn’t inherit high draft capital, so NFL analysts and fans doubt him, no matter how well he has performed throughout his career.
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Kirk Cousins’ No-Trade Clause
Remember, Cousins entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick and wasn’t even the first QB his team selected in the draft. That year, Washington dealt high-end draft capital to move up in the NFL Draft to select Robert Griffin III from Baylor.
Unfortunately for Griffin, injuries limited his career, and Cousins took over, leading Washington to the playoffs.
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Cousins spent several seasons playing under the franchise tag, as Washington didn’t want to invest high-end franchise QB money into a player they felt was good but not great. Yet, Washington has been searching for their franchise QB ever since, continuing to play QB musical chairs.
Now the Vikings face a similar decision, whether to move on from Cousins or attempt to sign him to an extension. This time, though, the franchise isn’t the one calling all the shots.
It appears highly unlikely that the Vikings deal with their franchise signal-caller despite Minnesota getting off to a rocky start in 2023. Cousins has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he can block any move the Vikings wish to make. Even if Minnesota wanted to deal with Cousins, they couldn’t unless they got his approval.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cousins is unlikely to waive his clause.
“I’m just very focused on the [Chicago] Bears and going 1-0 this week,” Cousins told reporters. “Anything else is just not worth my time or energy or attention.”
Cousins doesn’t hold all the cards, however, as Minnesota could still use the franchise tag in the offseason. The Vikings could also attempt to work out a trade, but Cousins holds a trump card and won’t agree to go somewhere he doesn’t want to.
The Las Vegas Raiders attempted to trade Derek Carr this past offseason, but he had a no-trade clause. Carr chose not to waive his clause, and the Raiders found themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place, guaranteeing a contract they had no intention of doing or releasing Carr, which they did, allowing him to sign with the Saints.
A similar situation could play out for Minnesota, but Cousins could also work with the team to complete a trade to a desired location. Either way, Cousins is calling the shots.