Kwesi Adofo-Mensah says Kirk Cousins goes ‘zero dark LeBron’ mode in offseason
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah likes where Kirk Cousins is at with the team.
There was the story that dropped with him saying Cousins isn’t Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes, but much of what he said didn’t come across as intended.
Those comments were never a direct shot at Cousins. It was simply Adofo-Mensah pointing out the fact that teams with those guys, who are next to impossible to find, have a better chance statistically of getting to the Super Bowl.
But you can still win it with Cousins, who is a special and talented quarterback in his own right. However, during an interview with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Adofo-Mensah took things a step further by throwing out a LeBron James comparison, as far as preparation is concerned.
“Love Kirk’s mindset. You know, I called him the other day just to talk about a couple things, and that guy goes his zero dark LeBron mode kind of in the offseason, where he just channels out all of the other things,” Adofo-Mensah said.
Here’s my full interview with #Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who also speaks on a rookie class headlined by safety Lewis Cine and expectations for this 2022 team.
Live coverage from Minnesota’s practice this afternoon on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/BLoT5nfY7U
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 28, 2022
There are a lot of expectations for Cousins in 2022, especially after he threw for 4,221 yards, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions last season.
He’ll now have a legitimate offensive guru in his ear with Kevin O’Connell taking over the reins as the new Vikings head coach. There’s also an embarrassment of riches at the skilled positions for him to attack opposing defenses with on the field.
A strong season could potentially push Cousins into the elite category and silence the perennial naysayers. Adofo-Mensah has seen the preparation first-hand.
He can only hope it pays off in the season.
“Over the summer, you get a little bit more time. The six months when I started was a little bit of a blur, but you get a little bit more time to really, really, really go deep into the analysis and study,” said Adofo-Mensah. “And honestly, you get a better appreciation for what [Cousins] is.
“I think he’s got an underrated skill set, but there’s things he does at a special level. You talk about timing, rhythm, accuracy, finding the right place to go with the football, reading coverages—I think he’s special at.”
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