Kirk Cousins: The most overpaid QB in the NFL?

3 years, $84M. That’s how much money Kirk Cousins received by the Minnesota Vikings this offseason to be their new leader of the team.

32-36-2. That’s the career record of Kirk Cousins after losing to the rejuvenated Seattle Seahawks 21-7 Monday night.

The reason why the Vikings offered that enormous contract to Cousins over the offseason is quite simple. In a league determined by success, Minnesota felt that Cousins was more capable to lead their team to the promised land than Case Keenum. It should be noted that Keenum, who is vastly underpaid compared to Cousins, has the same amount of wins on a less talented Broncos team entering week 15.

The Seahawks exposed the Vikings offense in many ways Monday night, which still has the WR tandem of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs on the outside to provide weapons for Cousins. On paper, this Vikings offense should be explosive. But, somehow, they were only able to score seven points against a Seattle defense that has lost nearly everyone on that ‘Legion of Boom’ defense except for linebacker Bobby Wagner.

Whether the Vikings want to admit it or not, they overpaid Kirk Cousins this offseason. Statistically, his numbers still look nice on paper. But, this is a winning league. And Kirk Cousins has shown throughout his career in Washington and now Minnesota that he cannot perform on a big stage when it counts. The Vikings now stand at 6-6-1 on the season, with their playoff lives coming down to the final three games. Minnesota is still holding on to that final wildcard spot as of now, but with games left against a resurgent Dolphins team, a desperate Lions team, and a dominant Bears team, it is not unrealistic to think that the Vikings could lose out.

The Vikings fate is simple, as they still control their own destiny to making the playoffs. But, their fate mainly lies on Kirk Cousins, who has failed this Minnesota offense all season. He will have a chance to prove to all the doubters in these final three games that he was worth that $84M this offseason. Although, as of right now, it’s safe to say that the Vikings might have chosen the wrong quarterback to lead their franchise.

- Allen Perez (Senior at Kennesaw State University, Sports Director of KSU Owl Radio, radio play-by-play announcer for Kennesaw State Men’s basketball and sports talk show host) (Twitter: @therealATLfan, email: allenperezsports@gmail.com)