Justin Jefferson Pushes for Kirk Cousins' Return to Vikings in 2024 NFL Free Agency

The Minnesota Vikings won't have to solicit Justin Jefferson's opinion on potentially re-signing Kirk Cousins because he has already made his thoughts clear.

Jefferson told reporters Wednesday he "definitely will always give that extra word for Kirko."

"I feel like I really don't have to voice my opinion that much," he said. "Just look at his play before he went down."

The three-time Pro Bowler added there has been a clear void since Cousins suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in October.

"It's definitely tough without him being there," he said. "His leadership. His knowledge of the game. His awareness. There's definitely something missing not having that main piece out there on the table."

Cousins' impending free agency this offseason presents a dilemma for Minnesota, and his Achilles injury has made the situation even tougher to navigate.

The four-time Pro Bowler will be 36 when next season kicks off, and the injury inevitably raises questions over whether he can be the same player again. Re-signing him wouldn't be without a level of risk.

The trouble is, a better solution isn't immediately presenting itself.

Based on the second half of the season, the Vikings may not have a viable internal candidate to take over. Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens have both gotten multiple starts, only to get benched, and the jury remains out on fifth-round draft pick Jaren Hall.

Thanks to a 7-8 record, Minnesota won't be in a position to land one of the two best quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft class, either. A big trade up would be required to get USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye.

When it comes to veteran alternatives from the outside, free agency won't be fertile ground a and the trade market may not be much better.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported in November shortly after the Achilles injury her impression was that "Minnesota will try to bring (Cousins) back and that there are many in the building who want that."

Jefferson's endorsement shouldn't be the deciding factor, but it's at least a factor in this. He's headed for free agency in 2025, so keeping him happy will be important toward extending his stay beyond that.

Add it all together and retaining Cousins increasingly looks like the smart play for the Vikings.