Kirk Cousins and Kyle Shanahan have been inextricably linked since it became known that the 49ers head coach intended to sign Cousins during the 2018 play-off season, when the defender hit the free agency. A mid-season deal for Jimmy Garoppolo and the five consecutive wins to end that year for San Francisco have thrown a key into those plans. The cousins joined the Vikings through a lucrative, fully guaranteed contract, and Garoppolo received a five-year contract from the 49ers.
Speculation of the Cousins-Shanahan reunion has since expanded and resurfaced ahead of this year’s Super Bowl, with 49ers potentially updating below center. ESPN’s Adam Schefter told Guy Haberman and John Middlekauff on the “Haberman and Middlekauff” podcast despite rumors on the Internet, he had heard no interest in 49 summers.
“Yes, there was talk of Kirk Cousins,” Schefter said. “And I think something could happen, but I haven’t heard of it, so I don’t know where it’s coming from.”
The question of whether Cousins offers the type of upgrade San Francisco is looking for under the center is debatable. His numbers are better, but it’s definitely worth asking if he deserves any venture capital or the player the 49ers should download to acquire him.
An agreement between Minnesota and San Francisco doesn’t even have to go that far. It just wouldn’t make much sense on either side.
For the Vikings, they got a productive game from Cousins. It was good last year and certainly not the reason why they failed to make it post-season. Passing from him would probably be a marked step back. Not to mention his treatment before June 1, he will come with $ 20 million in dead money in 2021 and an additional $ 10 million in dead money next year. It’s a lot of dead money for a player they’re probably not willing to change.
Not even a business after June 1 would be cheap for Minnesota. They will wear $ 10 million in their heads each of the next two seasons, according to Over the Cap.
This brings us to the 49ers, who gave up Matthew Stafford’s negotiations before even making an official offer, as the price rose to a first-round pick until the Lions returned to them, according to a report by Albert Breer in Illustrated Sports.
Suppose the Vikings want to move their cousins, because they think a first-round pick would be worth the dead money. San Francisco, more than likely, would not be willing to put option no. 12 on the table for him in the same way they were not arranged for Stafford. And even if it were, its cap hit in 2022 is due to the increase of over 30 million dollars. This is a high price to pay for what could only be a marginal upgrade.
Rumors about the 49ers’ interest in Cousins have always been incomplete, and given the full picture above Schefter’s comments, it’s hard to imagine that there will be or will be substantial talks between San Francisco and Minnesota.