Justin Jefferson-Kirk Cousins connection key to Vikings on and off field

It's time for another season of Spot the Spat, the Vikings' annual attempt to turn the sideline into a soundstage.

If Adam Thielen slaps Kirk Cousins, was he angry, or shooing a fly?

Will Stefon Diggs force a trade from Buffalo to the CFL to get even farther away from his former quarterback?

If Justin Jefferson lasers Cousins with The Look, does that mean he wants a trade or merely an apology and a box of chocolates?

For all of the post-Fran quarterback intrigue in Vikings history, they haven't employed many who were as interesting throwing a fit as throwing a pass.

Cousins arrived in the wake of Somnolent Sam Bradford and Cordial Case Keenum. Everybody loved Teddy Bridgewater. You'd have to go back to Daunte Culpepper to find a Vikings quarterback who held sideline scream therapy sessions, and Culpepper was on the receiving end of those.

Cousins has yelled at Thielen and chased away Diggs, and now he has another lead receiver to try to keep happy, a receiver who has made a few gestures and suggestions indicating at least momentary displeasure with the quarterback.

What's different about this season is that Cousins may for once need the receiver more than the receiver needs him. For the first time as a Viking, Cousins is closer to being a lame duck than a franchise cornerstone.

That's why one moment late in training camp is worth remembering.

During the Vikings' last full-squad practice before their final preseason game, Cousins looked terrible. Safety Harrison Smith and linebacker Eric Kendricks intercepted Cousins at least a few times, and edge rusher Za'Darius Smith dropped at least one pass that hit him in the chest.

Late in the practice, Cousins threw incomplete into the end zone, then motioned at Jefferson as if Jefferson had made a mistake.

Jefferson put his hands on his hips and walked to the sideline. A minute or two later, Cousins approached, patted his own chest and then Jefferson's shoulder.

If Cousins and Jefferson excel in the Vikings' new offense, that exchange will become as inconsequential as a February depth chart. If Cousins or the Vikings disappoint this season, Jefferson's state of mind will matter more than Cousins' contract.

Here's what we know about Cousins:

He was signed by a 13-win team that made it to the NFC Championship Game. He was expected to elevate the franchise. His record as an NFL starter is 59-59-2. His record in Minnesota is 33-29-1. He is 34 and while some of his statistics were impressive in 2021, his team finished 8-9, leading to the firing of the general manager, Rick Spielman, who signed him to two large contracts.

In O'Connell, Cousins now plays for a head coach who was part of a Super Bowl-winning franchise that made an outrageously daring and expensive deal to trade a former Super Bowl quarterback, Jared Goff, for Matthew Stafford.

Here's what we know about Jefferson:

He's a remarkably productive young player who believes he can become the first receiver in NFL history to amass 2,000 yards in a season. He has watched other receivers recently negotiate massive contracts. Honest during interviews, he has been willing to admit when he was displeased with the offense or team. The Vikings can't afford to lose him, which means they can't afford to offend him.

Here's what we know about the new Vikings' brain trust:

They have no reason to be loyal to Cousins. They have watched other NFL teams offer massive contracts and trade packages to land the quarterbacks they want. They have watched Jefferson develop into their best player.

All Cousins has to do this year to solidify his position with the Vikings is win big and make Jefferson happy, and remember that if the two have a spat, Cousins should pat himself on the chest, yell, "My bad,'' and post a sincere apology on the stadium scoreboard or something larger.