![Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer left and quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) went over a play during Minnesota Vikings training camp at TCO Performance center Saturday July 28, 2018 in Eagan, MN. ] JERRY HOLT • jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/02/GettyImages-1156600583-e1612568147945.jpg?w=560&h=316&crop=1)
Some think that San Francisco’s search for a new signal-caller could result in a trade for Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, given Cousins’ Washington connection to Kyle Shanahan.
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer sounds disinclined to consider such a deal.
“Kirk’s our guy,” Zimmer said Friday on NFL Network. “You know, he had a terrific year this year. We were fourth in the league on offense. We have to get better on defense — we had a lot of injuries and young guys — that’s my job to get it fixed.”
Cousins’ contract pays a reasonable base salary of $21 million in 2021. As of March 19, however, Cousins’ 2022 base salary of $35 million becomes fully guaranteed.
That could make it wise for the Vikings to extend Cousins’ contract. Last year, as Cousins was entering the final year of his original three-year contract, the Vikings and Cousins extended the deal by two seasons.
Extension or not, the Vikings need Cousins in 2021. Without him, it will be very difficult for the offense to perform at a level necessary to win enough games to avoid Zimmer potentially being on the hot seat after the coming season.