Kirk Cousins wants to retire with Vikings

There was plenty of speculation following the 2021 NFL season that the Minnesota Vikings could look to trade three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins to a willing buyer such as the Cleveland Browns before the upcoming NFL Draft that opens on April 28. While multiple big-name signal-callers switched clubs after Super Bowl LVI, Cousins ultimately put pen to paper on an extension that, per ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Kevin Seifert), lowered his cap number to $31.25 million for 2022, linked him with the Vikings through 2023, and added voidable years for 2024 and 2025. 

According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Cousins spoke with media members on Monday and explained he'd like to retire as a member of the Vikings down the road. 

"I think the short answer is I want to be a Minnesota Viking. I wanted to help create some cap space so we could put together the roster that we feel really good about," the 33-year-old said. "It’s just trying to always find win-wins. I think it was a way to create a win-win and hopefully that leads to a lot of wins this fall." 

Interestingly, Alper notes that Cousins admitted his play and Minnesota's records over the next two years will ultimately determine his future with the franchise. The 2021 Vikings went 8-9, and Cousins finished the season tied for fourth among eligible quarterbacks with a 103.1 passer rating, 15th with a 52.3 total QBR, ninth with 4,221 passing yards and ninth with 33 touchdowns through the air, as noted by ESPN stats.