Each NFL team’s worst contract on the books entering 2019
By Brad Weiss
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins
During the 2017 NFL season, Case Keenum led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game, losing out to eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. For his efforts, Keenum was shown the door by the Vikings, who instead decided they wanted Kirk Cousins to be their starting quarterback moving forward.
While Cousins always puts up solid numbers, the Vikings failed to make the playoffs in year one of his time in Minnesota. That is pretty alarming for the organization. While the Vikings offensive linemen struggled all season long, the franchise as a whole took a big step backwards There are plenty of questions heading into 2019.
Cousins was signed to a three-year deal with Minnesota, with the contract calling for $84 million in guaranteed money. His yearly salary is the No. 3 overall number in all of football, behind only Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, and Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions, making his contract a giant number.
The Vikings have hardly any money to spend this offseason, and that is because 15 percent of the salary cap is locked up in Cousins. His dead cap number is $60 million. This is an astronomical number. So the hope has to be that they improve the offensive line, and pray that Cousins can lead this team back to the playoffs in 2019.