Are Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings Playing Nice?

Kirk Cousins had a solid season with the Minnesota Vikings, and there's no denying it. But, that doesn't mean he's getting what he wants in contract negotiations.

The Michigan State University graduate, with one year left on his contact, hasn't been able to come to terms on a contract extension.

Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune says that Cousins asked the Vikings for three more years and guaranteed money, but the Vikings turned him down.

"The sense I've gotten is that they didn't want to commit as long as what he was looking for. They wanted something shorter, he wanted something longer. My understanding is that 2025 was the issue," Goessling said on the latest Access Vikings podcast. "The question of how long would everyone guarantee it for. I think he wanted '25, they were like 'well, we don't want to commit that long.' He'd be 37 before the 2025 season so it gets to be later in the game than you want to fully guarantee a quarterback deal."

"They are at least willing to look at the possibility of 'Do we go to a bridge starter? Do we go to a younger quarterback,'" Goessling added. "They're willing to look at their options in conjunction with Kirk Cousins rather than just committing to him for the next three or four years."