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Few NFL players have worked the system to their advantage better than Kirk Cousins.
The choice of the fourth round of 2012, made by Washington in the same draft that resulted in three choices from the first round and a choice from the second round being used to obtain Robert Griffin III, played a couple of franchise brands in 2016 and 2017, winning $ 19.95 million and $ 23.94 million, respectively, before becoming a free agent.
He signed a three-year, $ 84 million contract with the Vikings in 2018, with a two-year extension and $ 66 million added in 2020. This extension includes a base salary of $ 35 million for 2022 which, from today, it’s totally guaranteed.
Cousins explained last month in PFT PM that he is happy to end his current contract with the Vikings, with another extension or restructuring. Given the franchise’s brand dynamics (he would be entitled to a 44 percent increase from his maximum $ 45 million figure in 2022), the Vikings will not be able to stop him from leaving in 2023.
It is possibly when he will meet with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco.
Wherever Cousins goes in 2023, he will have earned $ 193.89 million in seven years. As of today, the last installment – $ 35 million in 2022 – is fully and fully guaranteed.