Kirk Cousins is officially the Vikings quarterback.
Cousins put pen to paper Thursday on a reported three-year, $84 million contract that makes him the highest-paid quarterback in the league. The Vikings and Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney, finalized the deal while Cousins toured U.S. Bank Stadium and the team's new Eagan headquarters.
After a crushing loss in the NFC title game in Philadelphia, the Vikings sent another prominent message they're aiming for the Super Bowl next season. General manager Rick Spielman has spent two first-round picks (Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Bradford) and now a record-breaking contract at quarterback since hiring coach Mike Zimmer in 2014.
Cousins, who turns 30 in August, took just one free-agent visit to Minnesota after speculation was generated that guaranteed millions were being thrown at him from around the league. He was the top free agent this offseason after stringing together three consecutive 4,000-yard seasons with at least 25 passing touchdowns in each for Washington.
He'll be the seventh Vikings starting quarterback under Zimmer.
Stability and a Lombardi Trophy are what the Vikings seek in Cousins, who brings 49 consecutive starts to a franchise that has started four quarterbacks in that span. Conversely, the Vikings provide Cousins a comfortable situation, including last year's No. 1 defense and an array of skill position talent from Adam Thielen to Dalvin Cook.
Cousins arrives as a productive, but not yet accomplished, quarterback. The former Michigan State star fumbled 34 times (12 lost) in the last three seasons. The Redskins' red-zone offense also regressed under Cousins and leveled out at 14th in points per trip last season, per Football Outsiders. His one playoff appearance, in the 2015 NFC Divisional wild-card game against the Packers, was a loss while throwing for 329 yards, a touchdown and taking six sacks.
Cousins also dealt with many injuries around him in Washington. Last season he lost three of his top weapons from 2016 in receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson and injured star tight end Jordan Reed. He also wasn't paired with an above-average defense in yards or points allowed during any of his three seasons as Redskins starter.
