Vikings GM Rick Spielman: Kirk Cousins Is 'Our Quarterback Going Forward'

The NFL quarterback carousel has been spinning this offseason, with a number of starters having been dealt, up for trades or set to enter free agency. But Minnesota Vikings star Kirk Cousins reportedly will not be among those available.

General manager Rick Spielman told reporters Wednesday the team would stick with the 32-year-old for at least another year.

"Kirk's our quarterback going forward," Spielman said. "Look forward to him [with] another year in this system and excited for him and what he's going to bring to our team next year."

Cousins threw a career-high 35 touchdown passes in 2020 with 4,265 yards and 13 interceptions.

He is entering the first year of a $66 million contract extension he signed last March, two seasons after he joined the Viking on a three-year, $84 million deal in free agency. He is due $21 million in base salary for the upcoming year, per Spotrac. But keeping him on the team this season will have major implications for 2022—Cousins' $35 million salary becomes fully guaranteed March 19.

The Athletic's Chad Graff reported in early February that Minnesota "hasn't made a single call to another team looking to trade Cousins" because it believes the Michigan State product can lead the team on a playoff run, though he's done so only once.

Graff's report came four days after head coach Mike Zimmer shared a similar sentiment to Spielman's on Good Morning Football on NFL Network.

"Kirk's our guy," Zimmer said, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "You know, he had a terrific year this year."