The 34-year-old is entering the final year of his contract and embraces the opportunity to prove that he should stay.

“I want to be in Minnesota, that’s a no-brainer,” Cousins said in a Wednesday news conference. “I’m encouraged and excited because I do think I have good football ahead of me. So, gotta go out there and earn that, but I feel positive about the future looking forward.”

Cousins is a solid starting QB. Last season, he threw for the league’s fourth-most passing yards (4,547 in 17 games) and tied for fifth in passing TDs (29). Per Pro Football Reference, he’s eighth in passing yards among active QBs.

Yet he’s floundered in big moments. In five seasons in Minnesota, he has a 1-2 postseason record. His 2-10 record on “Monday Night Football” also highlights why he hasn’t ascended into the clutch QB conversation.

Cousins can’t use a lack of offensive talent as an alibi because premier playmakers such as Pro Bowl WR Justin Jefferson and Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook surrounded him.

Per Spotrac, Cousins’ market value is a two-year deal worth $43.2M annually. Minnesota might believe that’s too much for an aging QB with no Super Bowl or conference championship appearances, and the Vikings are last in cap space ($1.85M) via Spotrac, making a Cousins extension less likely.

Minnesota may be starting to think about a future without Cousins when it drafted BYU QB Jaren Hall in the fifth round.

Subsequently, Cousins must carry the Vikings to another NFC North title and deep playoff run to remain as the Vikings QB.