Pro Football Focus: He has an up-and-down relationship with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, and that’s okay. You probably do too.
The passer typically finishes the regular season in the outfit’s Top 10 rating system, but its pundits often struggle to recognize Cousins’ legitimacy.
Kirk Cousins’ 2023 PFF Power Ranking will blow your mind
After Cousins ​​helped the Vikings engineer the biggest comeback in NFL history against the Indianapolis Colts in December, PFFs Sam Monson said A Week 15 Podcast, “People Complain About Kirk Cousins” [PFF grade] in this game. Cousins ​​didn’t do much in this game. Like he didn’t start this comeback with a bunch of big throws and an amazing game and stuff.”
Cousins ​​shot 59.7 PFF: Library vs. Indianapolis, the equivalent of Carson Wentz or Matt Ryan’s performances all year in 2022. On the way back, Cousins ​​had 417 passing yards and 4 touchdowns in the 2nd half alone. The yardage mark was the most by an NFL quarterback in the 2nd half of a game in 45 years.
This is just an isolated example of the dichotomy on the subject of Cousins PFF: grades and PFF: analysis of writers. This week, however, PFF: was unusually friendly with Cousins, placing him 9th in his 2023. Whatathunkit?
Between Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars) at No. 8 and Dak Prescott of Dallas at No. 10, Monson ranked Cousins ​​ninth in the league. the ones you can win with but are unlikely to turn a team into a contender just by their presence. Cousins ​​has had a PFF passer grade of at least 77.7 every season in Minnesota. He’s an exceptional pass rusher with plenty of big plays in his arsenal, who may lack that transcendent, intangible talent that every team is chasing at that position.”
When any given NFL season ends, Cousins ​​is typically ranked as the 12th best passer in the NFL in various metrics such as: PFF classEPA+CPOE, QBR, passer rating and more. Monson is right that Cousins ​​alone cannot drag the franchise to the Promised Land. he’ll do it by now if that’s the case, but he’s a damn good and consistent defender.
Since joining the Vikings five years ago, he ranks fourth in the league in touchdowns and fifth in passing yards. However, some blame Cousins ​​for the team’s defensive woes in 2020-2022, especially hoping he will “do more” to push the team to the Super Bowl. But Cousins ​​just isn’t that good He’ll live forever in a Tony Romo-like state, qualified as steady and productive with 4,000+ tackles per year and 30+ tackles like clockwork, but will never step into a Mahomesian or Brady quarterback.
This year, Cousins ​​enters his final season in purple, at least by contract position. Minnesota’s front office did not extend Cousins’ contract beyond 2023, giving the 34-year-old free agency in 10 months.
If he maintains the #9 power rating he describes PFF:, how could the team let him walk? It should be the mainstay of the “next guy,” possibly from the 2024 NFL Draft.
The cousins ​​will turn 35 in August.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube channel, VikesNow:. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday Raun Sauh and: Sal Spice:. His Viking obsession dates back to 1996. Mentioned guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, The Sopranos, Basset Hounds and The Doors (band).
All statistics are provided Pro Football Reference / Stathead:; All contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.