Sources: Vikings want to keep Cousins, talked to QB about staying in 2027

Sources: Vikings want to keep Kirk Cousins, talked to QB about staying in 2027

The Vikings brought in Kirk Cousins to help them this season, but they already are interested and have talked to the veteran quarterback about returning to Minnesota for the 2027 season, sources told NFL Network.

Before the Vikings completed their highly-anticipated blockbuster trade for Cousins on Tuesday, they had one more phone call to make. Team brass placed a call to agent Mike McCartney, who has represented Cousins for his entire career.

The message delivered in the short conversation was this: the Vikings would like for Cousins' return to Minnesota to be more than a one-year rental.

Cousins is set to be a free agent after this season, but if all goes well, don't be surprised if the sides find a way to stay together through 2027. The Vikings wanted to know if Cousins was open to talking about it -- and he was.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell officially announced Friday afternoon that Cousins would start for Minnesota, as expected, in Sunday's showdown against the division rival Green Bay Packers.

It has been a long and windy road at quarterback for the Vikings, who went from Cousins to Sam Darnold to J.J. McCarthy to Carson Wentz to Kyler Murray, only to go back to Wentz -- with a little Jaren Hall, Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens and Max Brosmer mixed in.

Although Cousins is 38, he's playing as well as he has since his last season in Minnesota.

Cousins enters Sunday fifth in the NFL in passing yards (2,340) and second in touchdown passes (20), behind only Joe Burrow. He will be the first quarterback in NFL history to start back-to-back weeks for two different teams since quarterback starts became official in 1950, according to ESPN Research.

And at least for the near future, the Vikings would like to stop searching for a quarterback. When McCartney told general manager Nolan Teasley and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski that he believed Cousins was more than open to continuing the relationship into 2027 -- with no firm offers or deadlines -- the trade with the Las Vegas Raiders was on.

The Vikings took on Cousins' contract -- the rest of the minimum salary for 2026 -- but also the $10 million fully guaranteed in a roster bonus for 2027. If what both sides hope happens and Cousins becomes Minnesota's starter next season, that $10 million will be baked into his salary that is sure to exceed that number.