The Vikings , with a trio of their quarterbacks due to become free agents in March,

opted to keep none of them. Instead, the Vikings signed free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, paying him $28 million per year on a three-year deal.Through nine games, the www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com early returns are positive, from the perspective of the guy who signed Cousins.Via Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com, G.M. Rick Spielman called Cousins “phenomenal” at the team’s Week 10 bye. Spielman pointed out that Cousins has performed behind “six or seven” line combinations en route to 2,685 passing yards Minnesota Vikings T-Shirt , an average of 7.4 yards per attempt, a 71.3-percent completion percentage., 17 touchdown passes, and five interceptions.“I think Kirk not only has done extremely well in how he’s performed, especially when he’s been getting pressured in the pocket, but you see some of the throws that he makes in games, those are some throws that are unique,” Spielman said. “There’s not a lot of people who can make those type of throws.”It’s more than the throws Minnesota Vikings Hats , in Spielman’s assessment.“But it’s also how he’s developed into a leader of this football team,” Spielman said. “I know I’ve sat in a couple quarterback meetings where they’re sitting in there going over the game, and just sitting there listening to him talk, and being critical of himself and how he can improve. He’s always looking to try and get better. It’s pretty fascinating to sit there and listen to him sitting there breaking down game tape, and how important this is to him.”It gets very important starting next weekend, when the Vikings have a pair of Sunday night games (at Chicago and vs. Green Bay) before a crippling cross-country road trip featuring games at New England and at Seattle, on a Monday night. Those next four games will go a long way toward figuring out whether the Vikings will make a return to the postseason in Cousins’ first year with the team.To get there, Cousins will need to be able to exert more in-game leadership Minnesota Vikings Hoodie , particularly when things aren’t going well. In a loss to the Bills, the Vikings folded the tents early. In a loss to the Saints, the Vikings seemed to surrender after a 14-point swing late in the first half, sparked by an Adam Thielen fumble.Linval Joseph was motorin’ on Sunday We’ve talked quite a bit about the touchdown that Linval Joseph scored on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. In our defense, we’re only doing that because. . .well, it was awesome. It was the third-longest fumble return for a touchdown by a Minnesota Vikings’ defensive lineman, it gave the Vikings a lead over Philadelphia that they kept for the rest of the afternoon, and honestly www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com , who doesn’t love a good big guy touchdown?Courtney Cronin of ESPN looked a little deeper into the touchdown, and brought us this stat from the NFL Next Gen Stats folks:Joseph’s listed weight: 329 pounds (and I put about as much stock into that as when the Vikings used to list Pat Williams at 315)Maye’s listed weight: 207 poundsOf course, when you get that much mass moving in one direction, slowing it down becomes a bit of a chore.I’m relatively certain that Linval Joseph isn’t going to beat Marcus Maye in a straight-up footrace or anything, but he was certainly on par with him when the pads were on this past Sunday.Oh, and since it’s in your head now anyway: