While Cousins’ future with the franchise after 2023 is unclear, the outlook for running back Dalvin Cook and pass rusher Za’Darius Smith this year is murky.
Cook, a four-time Pro Bowler, is due $10.4 million in base salary in 2023 and would save the Vikings $9 million on the salary cap with a post-June 1 release.
When asked directly if Cook would be on the team’s roster for the upcoming season, Adofo-Mensa deftly danced around the quandary.
“Conversations are always ongoing with him, we’re trying to be solutions-oriented always,” the Minnesota GM said, “trying to put the roster together within our constraints and we’ll continue those conversations.”
As for Smith, the pass rusher caused a bit of a ruckus in March when he informed the team he wished to be released. Smith remains on the roster, but Adofo-Mensah indicated they’re working to a resolution — though just what that would be remains a mystery.
“We try to be solutions-oriented here, that’s what we’ll always talk about,” the GM said. “And sometimes those solutions come from different places or whatever, but he was a great member of our team last year and we’ll keep the conversation ongoing.”
And so, Cook is going fishing this Saturday in a charity event, Smith’s future with the team remains unclear and Cousins is heading into his sixth and perhaps final season in Minnesota with a potential heir apparent to be selected.
A pivotal Vikings offseason is most certainly afoot.