The Minnesota Vikings are looking to turn over a new leaf for the upcoming 2022 season, with a new leader at the helm in first-year head coach Kevin O'Connell.
And, according to at least one person close to the team, no one stands to benefit from the change in leadership more than quarterback Kirk Cousins.
That's because, according to Vikings radio voice Ben Leber, former head coach Mike Zimmer "didn't like," trust, nor respect Cousins.
"I think that Kirk can win this team a Super Bowl," Leber told Zach Gelb of CBS Sports Radio this week. "And I don't think that he's one of those guys who has to have everything perfect, like they say. I think he's going to finally thrive, really thrive, in a system, with a coach who really respects him.
"It's not like I'm breaking news here that Mike Zimmer did not like Kirk Cousins. And that showed in the way that Kirk behaved, and the way that he carried himself. The team was never given to him, or he was never allowed to earn the trust of the team, because the head coach just didn't like him."
Cousins, who turns 34 next month, remains one of the more polarizing signal-callers in the league. The former Michigan State star signed a record contract with the Vikings in 2018, then was awarded a similarly lucrative extension last offseason that will keep him in the fold through 2023.
The three-time Pro Bowler's supporters often cite his solid statistical output, while detractors say he's good enough to keep his teams in contention but not good enough to lead them to championship glory.
Leber, for one, seems to fall in the former group, and he thinks the defensive unit has been the bigger liability in recent years.
"... That was a top-10 offense last year, with a very green first-time offensive coordinator. Where was the defense ranked last year? 31st. The year before that, I think they were ranked 27th. So, people can rail on Kirk, and rail on this offense, and say 'We can't win with him, or we can't win with this offense.' I say that's total B.S. We couldn't win with the crap defense we had the past two years. We couldn't stop the run at all, ever. ... So, to me, the biggest liability with this team has been defense."
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