Ranking NFC North starting quarterbacks entering 2019
By Lucas Schuh
2. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
For a long time, the Minnesota Vikings couldn’t find their franchise quarterback. The franchise traded for Sam Bradford and he played well but ultimately his injuries limited him once again. Case Keenum took over the starting role from Bradford and played well in Minnesota, but he wasn’t the elite quarterback that the Vikings seemed to still be searching for.
In March 2018, the Vikings seemingly found their guy in Kirk Cousins, who they signed for a three-year, $84 million contract. But is Cousins even the franchise signal-caller the Vikings have been searching for? Not by my estimation.
Cousins does a lot of things well; he is accurate, has good arm strength and can hit the occasional deep ball. However, he doesn’t do anything at an elite level — or at least a consistently elite level. He’s the type of player capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs but he has to have the right pieces around him.
In that regard, there is concern about this Minnesota team with Cousins at the helm. The quarterback already has two of the best receivers in the game, Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, and the Vikings just re-signed Kyle Rudolph. There offensive line, however, has been less than stellar.
Minnesota selected Garrett Bradbury with their first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, which is a solid grab on the interior of the line. However, with a ton of money already tied up elsewhere, the Vikings will need to continue drafting well to protect in front of Cousins.