David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Return of Cousins Could Mean a Battle for Viking QB Job

Posted on January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 by David Shama

The whispering about a Kirk Cousins return to the Vikings for the 2026 season is ongoing. If he leaves the Falcons for Minnesota, it’s likely a reunion where he’s told ahead of arrival there will be an open competition for the starting quarterback position.

At 37 years old and having been an NFL starter for most of his career, including six seasons with the Vikings from 2018-2023, that’s an understanding probably necessary for an Act 2 involving Cousins who has a no trade clause in his contract with the Falcons. An NFL authority familiar with Cousins believes that despite the quarterback’s age Cousins may well want to be somewhere next season that he can start.

“I think you’d have to sell it as a competitive situation,” said the source who could see a starting position battle between Cousins and J.J. McCarthy.

The source, who was a top front office executive with a couple of NFL teams, thinks the Vikings could be well positioned to persuade Cousins to leave the Falcons where he’s been starting recently for the injured 25-year-old Michael Penix, Jr. Cousins is familiar with the Vikings offense and likes his former head coach, Kevin O’Connell.

The Falcons, who are committed long-term to Penix, are incentivized financially to move on from Cousins in the coming offseason. Cousins, who turns 38 in August, will receive $45 million ($35 million base salary and $10 million bonus roster) if he’s on the Falcons’ roster next season. But if Cousins is traded to another team, or waived, only $10 million of his $45 million is guaranteed.

Ex-Vikings QB Kirk Cousins — Kirk Cousins

That $10 million could be negotiated with a Falcons trade partner, with possibly both parties splitting the cost or the new team absorbing all of the money. It’s believed the Vikings might offer a late round draft choice for Cousins and negotiate a new guaranteed salary with him.

The source referenced here suggests the Vikings might be willing to offer their former starter $10 million for next season. That’s what they paid veteran Sam Darnold when they acquired him in the 2024 offseason.

“He liked it here, and likes KOC,” the authority said in regard to a Cousins’ homecoming. “But we’ll see. Money will talk in that situation.”

With Penix out with a serious knee injury, it’s possible the Falcons will choose to keep the costly Cousins on the roster. Down the stretch of this season Cousins has played well including a three down pass game in a 29-28 win over the Bucs. He would offer assurance for 2026 if Penix is slow to recover in mobility and performance. It’s also not likely the Falcons could acquire a Cousins replacement of his caliber during the coming offseason.

O’Connell talked about McCarthy becoming the Vikings “franchise quarterback” in 2024 before he had even played in a regular season game. The Vikings had selected him at No. 10 in the first round of the 2024 draft and the coaching staff, front office and ownership were excited about him.

However, injuries, body mechanics and inconsistencies in his play have cast doubt on McCarthy in the view of many Vikings followers. The source, however, remains confident in McCarthy long-term. He said franchise priority No. 1 for next season is to find a “quality No. 2” to back up the 22-year-old who missed the entire 2024 season and several games in 2025 with injuries.

The source also said McCarthy is a “potential Pro Bowler. I think he’s got the talent. He just needs more experience. But the problem is his injury history and so you gotta have a better No. 2 than what they had this year. …”

Cousins might be the best alternative in a 2026 quarterback market that looks so-so. Daniel Jones, for example, was briefly with the Vikings in 2024 and knows the offense. He will be a free agent in 2026 and although he played spectacularly for the Colts this season, he didn’t finish the year because of a torn Achilles. His rehab progress and future performance is conjecture now.

Jones, 28, and his representatives might well insist on more than $15 million from interested teams next season. So, it might be “Captain Kirk” to the rescue for the Vikings. The nickname is a reference to Star Trek character James T. Kirk who is known for leadership, poise and comeback skills.

The source also listed other priorities for the Vikings starting with the center position. “Because you can’t count on Ryan Kelly. He played really well when he was in there but he’s had too many concussions. He probably should retire.

“And (Michael) Jurgens, I don’t think is solid enough to be a starter. He’s an okay back up. So I think they probably need to draft a center in the early rounds or go to free agency again and try to find a quality center. …”

Other needs the authority identified include cornerback, suggesting the Vikings find help there via free agent signings or the draft. Safety needs attention, too, he said. “I am not sold on Theo Jackson. And we’ll see what happens with Harrison Smith. I think he played well enough to come back but will he want to, and that’s a question.”

Jackson is a potential replacement for Smith, 36, who could retire. Some observers wonder if Smith’s offseason decision will be impacted on whether acclaimed defensive coordinator Brian Flores leaves for another NFL job.

Asked about a potential replacement for Flores, the authority offered the name of Daronte Jones. Although he has never been a defensive coordinator in the NFL, he has called plays in the preseason and been a college coordinator. He’s also Smith’s position coach, handling the Vikings secondary.

“So, I think there’s a decent chance that Harrison would come back again,” the source said.

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Hard to Believe Koi Perich Won’t Move on from Gophers

Posted on January 2, 2026January 2, 2026 by David Shama

Koi Perich, the home state hero, has his name in the college football transfer portal. He reportedly hasn’t decided whether he will transfer or return to the Gophers for his junior season next fall.

If the Esko, Minnesota native didn’t intend to move on, why place his name in the portal window which opened today and runs through January 16? Perich, who was a Sporting News second-team All-American as a freshman safety in 2024, already knows how much money he can earn playing for the Gophers. He’s also familiar with the coaches, teammates, program environment and 2026 expectations.

By declaring the Gophers are still in the picture, Perich does give himself leverage when he and his representatives consider offers from other programs. The posture also takes some public “heat” off him in his home state.

“This is definitely not about the money,” an authoritative sports source told Sports Headliners today about Perich’s motivations.

Make no mistake. The University of Minnesota football program wants to retain Perich. For the coming season the Gophers might be willing to pay him low seven-figures in combined revenue share and Name, Image and Likeness money for his expected final season of college football before he declares for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Gophers football star Koi Perich — Koi Perich photo courtesy of University of Minnesota

That’s really stretching the budget because college safeties usually have a compensation ceiling under $1 million (see August 24 Max Olson ESPN.com story on money value per positions in college football). The Gophers, though, could be willing to go higher based on Perich’s resume of being among the more talented and experienced safeties in college football, plus his value as a kick and punt returner, and part-time availability as a receiver and runner on offense.

The Miamis, Ohio States and Oregons have the resources to outbid the Gophers on Perich but his decision whether to move on is probably first about playing for a program that can realistically compete for conference and national championships. The last two seasons the Gophers have produced 8-5 overall and 5-4 conference records.

A talented and motivated Perich wants to win every game. That’s not realistic at Minnesota where last month the team had to go into overtime to defeat non-power four conference New Mexico in the Rate Bowl. In 2025 Minnesota was embarrassed in conference losses to Ohio State and Oregon by a combined score of 84-16.

Perich almost chose Ohio State coming out of high school where he was a four-star recruit and one of the nation’s best safety prospects. A last-minute decision sent him to coach P.J. Fleck’s program which just completed its ninth season under his leadership.

In Columbus the Buckeyes are presumably losing All-American safety Caleb Downs who is eligible for the NFL Draft after playing three seasons for Ohio State. Perich could step in and start, while being surrounded by a much more talented group of teammates.

Oregon star safety Dillon Thieneman is also a junior and eligible for the draft. Downs, Thieneman and Perich are all free safeties.

And at Miami, Perich could join his former Gopher defensive coordinator Cory Hetherman who has the same role for the Hurricanes. Miami and Oregon are still alive in the college football playoffs while Ohio State, the 2025 defending national champions, was eliminated New Year’s Eve in a semi-final loss to the Hurricanes. Those three programs offer the opportunity to play on college football’s biggest stages.

Home state college heart strings and the opportunity to play in front of family don’t figure to keep Perich in a Gopher uniform. Growing up in the small town of Esko outside of Duluth, it was the Vikings who stirred his deep passion, not the Gophers. And with the money Perich can now command in college football, he can afford to pay for his family to see him play anywhere in the country.

When Perich was a freshman, he did a memorable late October interview with Paul Allen on KFAN Radio. He talked about how the Gophers, despite their 5-3 record, were a top 10 caliber team. Call it naïve for him to say what he did, or just a young man talking about aspirations for his team, to this listener his comments were telling about his desires.

Neither the eye test nor the Pro Football Focus analysis verify that Perich was as effective last season as his first. His interception total, for example, was down from five to one, while offenses strategized to avoid his area on the field. PFF graded him 88.9 for his overall performance as a safety in 2024, one of the best numbers in the country for his position. This year his grade was 62.4.

It’s emotionally difficult for Gopher fans to think about the 2026 season without their home state hero. However, even if Perich returned for the coming year, it was definitely going to be his last in college football. From the start it’s believed his plan was to play three years and then move on to the NFL.

There is also solace in knowing the safety position isn’t as important as several others on the team. That list starts with quarterback and includes offensive and defensive linemen. Pushed for an answer, college football authorities would generally prefer a superb cornerback to a gifted safety.

If this is goodbye with Perich, be grateful it’s not redshirt sophomore quarterback Drake Lindsey departing. Or junior running back Darius Taylor who announced today he will return rather than opt for the 2026 NFL Draft.

While in no way diminishing the contribution of Perich, the source referenced above said losing Perich will not be “catastrophic” for the program.

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Timberwolves & Lynx CEO Says Arena in Minneapolis the Goal

Posted on December 30, 2025December 30, 2025 by David Shama

New majority Timberwolves and Lynx owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez announced the hiring of CEO Matthew Caldwell late last summer. The former front office executive of the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Panthers, Caldwell is tasked with figuring out where the two Minnesota pro basketball teams will play in the future.

Caldwell has a newsworthy 10-year deal from his bosses to lead the Wolves and Lynx. It might take that long to see the doors open on a new home for the teams who play now at the NBA’s second oldest arena.

Target Center opened in 1990 and was privately financed by Wolves owners Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner. The building is now owned by the city of Minneapolis whose citizens recently re-elected Jacob Frey as mayor.

Insiders seem certain Frey’s election kept in play the possibility a new arena can be built within the city limits. Before the election, Frey commented about his support for such a facility if it was privately financed. He values the millions of people Target Center attracts, generating tax and business revenues helping fuel the downtown economy. But he also knows the aging facility still has debt from renovation about eight years ago.

Frey’s primary mayoral foe, Democrat Socialist Omar Fateh, “nixed both direct cash and indirect tax relief types of financial aid” for a new building, according to a Minneapolis Times article by Marshall Tanick in October. Few arena authorities believe a Fateh mayorship, with his emphasis on progressive policies regarding wages, rent, the homeless, transit and the environment, would have been interested in using city dollars even for infrastructure adjacent to a new building.

Asked by Sports Headliners if for certain the Wolves and Lynx want to remain in the city, Caldwell said: “That’s the goal. We’re in a (Target Center) lease right now for 10 more years in Minneapolis. I look forward to working with the mayor and the council and hopefully we can find a good location for everyone.”

Multiple sites for a new arena have drawn speculation including City Center, the Farmers Market near downtown, the Star Tribune printing property in the North Loop and the former Graco site in Northeast Minneapolis. The latter is a potential 40-acre site that could be attractive but there are concerns about traffic flow. It’s not impossible the Target Center site could be under consideration for either a new building or a renovation.

At this early stage of the process, Caldwell said there are many options when asked about the Target Center site. “I am not sure yet. We’re still looking through…different locations but everything is on the table. I just started a few months ago, so I am trying to get to know everyone. We want to take our time and make sure we pick the right site. But at the same time we want to do what’s best for the community and we gotta get a lot of feedback.”

Timberwolves & Lynx CEO Matt Caldwell — Matt Caldwell photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves

Is there a commitment from ownership to financing a new arena privately? “Not yet,” Caldwell answered. “No…like I mentioned earlier all options are on the table. So, we just gotta see. Marc and Alex are fully dedicated to building a new arena, and they’ve committed we’re staying in Minnesota. And we’re just trying to find the right site and see what the best deal is for everyone.”

Ownership’s stance is a new facility is needed to better serve the public and make the two franchises more business viable with the amenities and features already present in new NBA arenas such as the Chase Center in San Francisco and the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Both were privately financed and the latter reportedly cost about $2 billion.

There has been speculation sites outside of Minneapolis could figure into the puzzle of a new building and location. One intriguing location whispered about is near the Mall of America in Bloomington. That area fits in with the goal of NBA team owners to have surrounding land that can offer additional revenue streams from sources such as lodging, retail and perhaps gambling.

A Bloomington location, seen as a more politically neutral site between Minneapolis and St. Paul, might attract tax dollars not only from that city but also the state which is being pitched for major renovations to Grand Casino Arena, the home of the NHL Wild since 2000. A new arena hosting the basketball teams and the Wild could have considerable public support and political backing from politicians representing areas other than the Twin Cities.

Timeline? Caldwell said the goal is to both work through the arena process “as fast as possible” but also don’t “rush it.” There’s a lot of money at stake for various entities with the project and all kinds of details from site and architectural selection, to financing to infrastructure, from permitting to environmental concerns, and the list goes on. That’s why Caldwell said that even after the first ceremonial groundbreaking occurs, it will probably be three years before the doors open to the public.

Caldwell’s contract with his owners gives him security and confidence to work through the monumental project. So, too, does his personal background with experiences at West Point as a cadet, serving in the Army, working for Goldman Sachs and his successful tenure with the Panthers.

Asked about who he is and his leadership development, Caldwell started talking first about being at West Point: “They kind of break you down and build you back up. …Get rid of as much ego that you have, and then a lot of it is about leading by example. A lot of it is about never tell your people or your soldiers to do something that you couldn’t do, right? …You have high standards, but you care about your people, and people respond to that.

“And that’s always stayed with me, whether I was in finance or sports. Since I left the Army, I’ve always tried to keep that sense of camaraderie. That sense of leading from the front at the end of the day. So, it’s really important and it’s a foundation of how I operate.”

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