Wilf: Vikings' 'focus' on season, not Cousins' deal

EAGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf declined to say Tuesday whether he wants quarterback Kirk Cousins to re-sign with the franchise when his contract expires next spring, indicating the decision will be made by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell at a later date.

“We’ll leave that to Kwesi and Coach to work through those discussions,” Wilf said. “There’s always conversations on that. But our real focus is 100% on 2023 and getting where we need to be, and where I know we can be.”

Cousins has signed two contract extensions since originally joining the Vikings as a free agent in 2018. But the sides agreed to halt similar discussions in March, deciding instead to restructure Cousins’ current deal in a way that ensures he will be eligible for free agency next spring.

Cousins, who turns 35 later this month, has said he hopes to finish his career in Minnesota. Adofo-Mensah has said that “every option is open to us” and added: “Sometimes you come to a place where you decide, ‘Hey, let’s talk later. This is a solution for now.’ That’s all that’s happened.”

For now, at least, Wilf said that “we feel great about the quarterback situation.” But Wilf was careful not to project his thoughts into future years.

“Kirk is an outstanding leader,” Wilf said. “He’s led this team incredibly these past few years and we’re looking for great things from him in 2023.”