Kirk Cousins has moved on from the Washington Redskins, but Redskins fans are sure to have something to say about comments he made Wednesday in Minnesota.
The Vikings quarterback was asked what he thinks he needs to do to bring his game to the next level, which the team’s general manager wants to see from his $84 million man.
“I think the next level, really, is all about winning,” Cousins said Wednesday at Minnesota’s minicamp. “I’m pretty much a .500 quarterback in my career so far and I don’t think that’s where you want to be, and that’s not why you are brought in or people or excited about you.”
Cousins’ math is close. As an NFL starter, the former Redskin is 34-37-2 for his career, which equates to a .479 percentage.
He has not missed a start in the last four seasons, last year being his debut with Minnesota after beginning his career in Washington. Those four teams went 8-7-1, 7-9, 8-7-1 and 9-7 for a grand total of 32-30-2, or .516 percent.
The Redskins gave Cousins the franchise tag two years in a row before deciding to move on and let Cousins hit free agency after trading for Alex Smith. In a 2018 sweepstakes that included a handful of suitors, Cousins signed with the Vikings for three years and $84 million. But some have called the 29-year-old quarterback overrated, given his often flashy passing numbers have not translated to many wins or playoff appearances.
Cousins seems to know that.
“If I don’t play well, if I don’t have gaudy statistics but we win multiple playoff games this year, the narrative will be (that) I went to the next level and I may not walk off the field everyday feeling like I did but if we win, that’s the life of a quarterback is you are at the next level,” he said. “If I have my best year yet in 2018 but we’re 8-8, I didn’t go to the next level. That’s the reality of it.”
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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