Cousins claims O'Connell told him Vikings 'unlikely' to draft a QB if he returned

"His approach was, 'I just don't see us doing that, if you're back. You know, if you're not back, then we have to.'"

Jun 3, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) is interviewed after Falcons OTA at the Falcons Training facility. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Kirk Cousins claims he was told the Vikings wouldn't draft a quarterback if he returned to Minnesota this offseason.

In an appearance with Chase Daniel on The Athletic's Scoop City Podcast, Cousins said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told him he couldn't see them taking a QB in the draft if the veteran was back as their starter.

"I think the reality is, they wanted to give themselves that flexibility," Cousins said of the Vikings' decision to not offer him a long-term deal. "I remember Kevin's words, which I'm not going to hold him to them, were, 'Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it's very unlikely that we would draft somebody.' It was something to that effect."

Kirk Cousins | Scoop City | July 30

Kevin O'Connell told Kirk Cousins before the draft, "If we re-sign you, it’s highly unlikely we’ll draft another quarterback." They still only offered him 1 year deals

He knows things can change in the NFL, but it doesn’t make it any easier. pic.twitter.com/meWZvJ7Mmb

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) July 29, 2024

After six years in Minnesota, Cousins entered the offseason without a contract, coming off an Achilles injury that prematurely ended his 2023 season. He eventually chose to leave Minnesota and sign a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons. In the wake of Cousins' decision, the Vikings signed journeyman QB Sam Darnold and drafted Michigan's J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the draft.

Ultimately, Cousins said he doesn't hold it against O'Connell that he wasn't able to see out the remainder of his career in Minnesota.

"But I also know in the league, things change," Cousins continued. "So, even if he says that, it's not like I'm going to, you know, hold him to that. But his approach was, 'I just don't see us doing that, if you're back. You know, if you're not back, then we have to.'"

The narrative from Cousins that Minnesota wouldn't have drafted a QB if he returned goes against much of the reporting in the months leading up to the free agency window opening. Even before Cousins made his decision to leave, the Vikings were heavily investing resources into scouting the plethora of top-end quarterback talent that was available in this year's draft.

According to a May report from SI's Albert Breer, part of Cousins' decision to leave Minnesota was the team's openness about taking a QB even if he decided to return.

"A reason he decided to leave Minnesota is because the Vikings were very up front with the 35-year-old about the possibility that, even in the case he stayed, they’d take a quarterback of the future high in the draft," reported Breer.

Breer later noted that Cousins "appreciated" the Vikings' openness about their draft plans, "even if it meant him leaving."

In the end, Cousins joined a team that ended up shocking the NFL world by drafting Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick, just months after inking Kirk to a mega-deal. He's the Falcons' unquestioned starter for at least this year and perhaps a few years, but Atlanta's decision to draft Penix had to be stunning to Cousins, who signed there believing it was the place where he'll finish his career.