The stink bomb the Vikings lit on their own field in the most important game of their goofy season Sunday night brought an unmistakable reminder that the organization has more than just a Kirk Cousins conundrum to address shortly.
There are a lot of holes in the roster.
The Cousins decision — the 35-year-old quarterback soon will be a free agent — directly impacts the business of fixing that. To put it more bluntly, if the organization re-signs Cousins, then General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah better improve his drafting acumen because money will be tight.
The complicated web the organization finds itself in calls to mind something Adofo-Mensah shared at the trade deadline. Cousins had just suffered a season-ending injury, creating a sense of doom. Adofo-Mensah was asked how Cousins' strong performances leading up to his Achilles tendon injury would impact deliberations on whether to try and re-sign him this offseason.
"I think my want for Kirk to come back isn't just a me thing," he said that day. "It's a negotiation."
And there it is, folks. The essence of this entire discussion. What is the cost to bring back Cousins? That answer will have an undeniable effect on rebuilding the roster.
Purely in football terms, anyone who has watched the Great QB Shuffle of 2023 should want Cousins back. The carousel spun again Wednesday, with Nick Mullens getting the nod in the regular-season finale in Detroit — but does it even matter at this point whether it's Mullens, Joshua Dobbs or Jaren Hall? Just make it end.
I have leaned toward re-signing Cousins if the term is no more than two seasons. But again, what is the price?
Let's assume his $35 million base salary this season is a starting point. Now pair that with what is expected to be a historic deal for superstar receiver Justin Jefferson, likely at $30-plus million annually.
Therein lies the dilemma.
The Vikings defense has cratered the final month of the season, exposing a reality that coordinator Brian Flores' innovative scheme managed to conceal by deception through the middle part of the season: That side of the ball is lacking difference-makers and depth.
The Packers did whatever they wanted Sunday, run or pass. Teams have figured out ways to attack Flores' scheme, and the Vikings' talent deficiencies are becoming more evident.
Flores is a smart coach with a creative scheme. He's not a miracle worker.
Adofo-Mensah used three of his first four picks in his inaugural draft in 2022 on defense. The impact of those three players — safety Lewis Cine, cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. and linebacker Brian Asamoah II — barely makes a ripple. Adofo-Mensah has drafted eight defensive players in two years. If that group showed more encouraging signs, there would be less uneasiness about the salary cap.
The roster desperately requires an infusion of talent. The defense alone needs upgrades across the entire line and at cornerback. The picture looks even more bleak if the team decides it can't afford to re-sign edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
Adofo-Mensah cannot afford to whiff on drafts, especially if the roster is supporting two mega contracts in Cousins and Jefferson. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw is inching closer to a sizable payday, too.
Teams in similar situations have taken different approaches:
The Rams invested in both a quarterback ranked in the top 10 in annual average salary (Matthew Stafford) and a non-quarterback ranked in the top 10 (defensive tackle Aaron Donald).
On the flip side, the Packers traded wide receiver Davante Adams to the Raiders and kept Aaron Rodgers, and the Chiefs traded receiver Tyreek Hill and kept Patrick Mahomes.
The obvious distinction in those cases is the quarterbacks are bound for the Hall of Fame. They are/were their franchise cornerstones.
The Vikings would be foolish to trade Jefferson. The onus is squarely on Adofo-Mensah to demonstrate shrewd personnel evaluation and roster management.
It was impossible to watch University of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. shred Texas' defense in a College Football Playoff semifinal on Monday (and his performance all season, frankly) and not envision him throwing the ball to Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
The Vikings could re-sign Cousins while also drafting Penix in the first round. That would address both short-term and long-term uncertainty. But that doesn't fix obvious needs at other positions.
A Cousins comeback is appealing in contrast to the ridiculousness of what has transpired at QB after his injury. If the organization takes that path, the "rebuild" part of Adofo-Mensah's stated "competitive rebuild" goal won't materialize without him doing better in the draft.
