ESPN Insiders: Vikings Want a Hometown Discount and Kirk Cousins Doesn’t Seem Interested

It’s believed the Minnesota Vikings were offered a hometown discount by Kirk Cousins last offseason. He came to them with a VERY reasonable contract offer that would have made him the QB through the 2025 season, at a discounted rate (believed to be around $30 million/year).

But, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said no because the Vikings did not want to guarantee his contract in 2025. So, Kirk played out the last year of his deal. Unfortunately, he tore his achilles in week 8, complicating another set of negotiations this offseason.

No Kirk Cousins hometown discount for Minnesota Vikings?

On Sunday morning, we got more clarity on where things stand currently between Cousins and the Vikings. According to ESPN insider Dan Graziano, Minnesota is not offering Cousins what he’s expecting to get on the open market later this month, specifically from the Atlanta Falcons, and it appears any chance at getting that hometown discount again is off the table.

The sense I’m getting is Minnesota still wants quarterback Kirk Cousins to return, but Cousins has a very specific idea in mind for what he wants in a new contract, and the Vikings so far have not made an offer that matches it. The ball might be in the team’s court at this point. Cousins and his family like Minnesota and would be happy to stay and finish his career there, but it doesn’t sound like he’s willing to offer the team a hometown discount.

Dan Graziano – ESPN

The Vikings and Cousins have been playing a game of chicken all offseason and they are now 9 days away from the March 12 deadline. Is this just another play in that game from Cousins’ camp, as they try to squeeze every penny they can out of whatever discount they plan on giving Minnesota or is Kirk going to take the money and run to Atlanta?

It could depend on how much the Vikings are willing to adjust their current offer. Will this make them blink? We don’t know. But one thing is for sure, Kirk is Atlanta’s No. 1 target, which Graziano’s partner at ESPN, Jeremy Fowler, confirms.

I have been told by multiple sources this week that signing Cousins — not trading for Justin Fields — is the Falcons’ top QB solution, assuming Cousins makes it to free agency.

Jeremy Fowler – ESPN

There have also been some reports floating this morning that the Vikings are closing in on a deal with Justin Jefferson that would be worth around $30 million per season. If those reports pick up steam Sunday morning and into this afternoon, we will be on top of it.