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Offseason in three or fewer words: Decide Cousins' future

With a better picture of their leadership structure in place with general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings must decide what they're going to do at quarterback for 2022. Kirk Cousins enters the final year of his contract -- which comes with a $45 million cap hit -- and Minnesota needs to clear $13 million-14 million in cap space before the start of the league year. The Vikings should approach this one year at a time, and if they find a trade partner that is willing to not leave them footing an exorbitant amount to get Cousins off the roster, they should explore those options. The new coaching staff should get a year to determine whether Cousins fits into their plans. -- Courtney Cronin

Is Kirk Cousins The Guy or Just A Guy? It's the question teams have been trying to answer for a decade now ... and that eternal query has been passed down to new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and incoming head coach Kevin O'Connell. Keeping Cousins goes beyond his play on the field. The quarterback is entering the final year of his contract and carries an enormous cap hit for a team that is currently projected to be millions of dollars over the salary cap. If an outside team was hot for Cousins, the Vikings might decide a trade is best for the franchise, even if it makes them worse in the short term.

Kevin O'Connell takes over a team that has some talented pieces on the roster. The Kirk Cousins situation bears watching, but word is O'Connell likes him.

It's OK, Minnesota fans, you might as well get excited about the reunion between maddening QB Kirk Cousins and Sean McVay-stamped incoming coach Kevin O'Connell.

It was time for a change. Even though the Vikings weren't bad under Mike Zimmer in 2021, they never really looked like a team that could be a serious playoff contender. Minnesota has yet to formally announce the hiring of Kevin O'Connell as its coach, but that move is expected soon now that O'Connell's work with the Rams as their offensive coordinator is done. The biggest question O'Connell will face in Minnesota is how to elevate the play of Kirk Cousins, while new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah deals with a complicated salary cap situation ahead of free agency.