[OPINION] This Characteristic is Why Cousins Shouldn’t be Back With the Vikings
The Vikings lost 20-16 at home to the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night to fall to 3-4 on the season. Star Tribune Sports Columnist Jim Souhan joined me on WJON today. He says quarterback Kirk Cousins won't be back with the Vikings because they expect more from a guy making the kind of money he is making. Souhan says Cousins often times is making the safe throw when a receiver further down field is open. He says the Vikings aren't paying him to be a game manager.
Souhan says Cousins should be looking the way of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen more and less to secondary receivers like tight end Tyler Conklin. Souhan says Cousins is "deafly afraid of making a mistake." He says good quarterbacks sometimes make mistakes. Souhan says Stefan Diggs wanted out of Minnesota because Cousins wouldn't take enough chances. He says Diggs would tell Cousins to trust that he will make a play even if he didn't appear open. Evidence of Cousins refusal to take a chance when there is little to lose was at the end of the first half last night when the Vikings didn't throw a hail mary and at the end of the game when Cousins threw the ball out of bounce on the last play instead of giving his receivers a chance to make a play.
The Vikings are 3-4 and will play at Baltimore Sunday at noon, pregame on WJON at 11am. If the Vikings continue to struggle a change could be coming. Souhan said Adam Thielen's agent tweeted after the game that the Vikings should "blow it up". Kirk Cousins, Head Coach Mike Zimmer and General Manager Rick Spielman may not be back in 2022.
Jim Souhan joins me on WJON weekday mornings at 7:15 a.m. My conversation with Jim today is available below.