Report: Kirk Cousins 'has zero intention' of taking pay cut

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Vikings' Kirk Cousins 'has zero intention' of taking pay cut

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Feb 18, 2022 7:09 PM ET

During his introductory press conference on Thursday, new Minnesota Vikings head coach and ex-Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell insisted he is "excited" to work with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

O'Connell may not have much a say in the matter.

Per Courtney Cronin, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Cousins is signed through the 2022 season on a deal that includes a $45 million salary-cap hit and a $35 million base salary that's already been fully guaranteed. While Cousins could help ease his cap burden by putting pen to paper on an extension, insider Jordan Schultz reports the 33-year-old isn't interested in accepting a reduction in salary:

Kirk Cousins has zero intention of taking a pay cut, sources says. I’m told an extension could pay Cousins, 33, around $40M per year. #Vikings
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 18, 2022

"We’ve already started thinking about how we’re going to build those systems for him and our other quarterbacks," O'Connell said of Cousins on Thursday. "I’m anticipating Kirk being a part of what we do."

Schultz echoed those words via a Friday tweet:

Kevin O’Connell’s plan is to tailor the #Vikings’ new offense around Kirk’s skillset. That’s what O’Connell sold Adofo-Mensah on. How so? Use Cousins’ input along the way -- just how O’Connell/Sean McVay did so successfully with Matt Stafford and the #Rams. https://t.co/3wHQoIocat
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 18, 2022

Interestingly, it appears Cousins' annual youth football camp may be going on hiatus until further notice:

After many fun years together, we have decided to put the Kirk Cousins Football Camp on hold for the foreseeable future.

We appreciate the continuous support from all our campers and partners throughout the years. Continue to visit https://t.co/3l3OLXcBtU for updates.
— Kirk Cousins (@KirkCousins8) February 18, 2022

This update naturally sparked speculation that at least somebody believes Cousins may soon be calling a different NFL city home, but O'Connell's comments and Schultz's report suggest differently heading into the weekend.

To trade Cousins, Minnesota likely would have to find a buyer willing to sign the veteran to an extension that would, at the very least, match what he's owed by the Vikings.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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