Kirk Cousins is at peace at Vikings camp, letting his inner goofball out

Kirk Cousins felt like he needed to change things up. Do something to break the monotony of training camp, maybe get a laugh.

He wore No. 66 at practice Tuesday. The red jersey was big and baggy and a terrible fashion statement.

"I had not looked at myself in the mirror until post-practice," Cousins said a day later. "That was more egregious than I even realized."

The Vikings veteran quarterback said he tries to do things that make teammates laugh "maybe to a fault sometimes." He admitted that he tells his backup Nick Mullens to use a figurative vaudeville hook, if needed.

"Like hey, if I'm being too much of a goofball, just let me know," Cousins said.

Too much of a goofball? Kirk Cousins?

His demeanor the first week of training camp has been outwardly unburdened. He cracked jokes with reporters on reporting day. Two days later, he delivered a half-hour speech to teammates that left players and coaches gushing about his message.

Cousins looks, sounds and acts like a quarterback who is completely at peace, which is interesting and perhaps ironic because the veteran's situation is uncertain beyond this season.

Cousins is guaranteed 17 more NFL games. After that, who knows?

He will be a 35-year-old free agent quarterback, assuming nothing changes in his contract status before then. Cousins and the Vikings were unable to find agreement in negotiations this past offseason, leaving his future in limbo.

If that uncertainty holds any space in his mind, Cousins isn't showing it. His reaction to the contract stalemate has basically made it a non-story in camp. No one expected Cousins to turn it into a distraction, but the situation also hasn't caused him to retreat into a quiet shell. In fact, just the opposite.

He seems more willing and more comfortable in allowing teammates, media and fans to see more of his personality. The goofball side included.

"When you're at peace and have a quiet mind," Cousins said, "it's coming from a place of, you're confident in your abilities, you're confident in the plan, you're confident that you can execute when you get thrown a curveball. I don't think you ever feel like you're 'there.' But I'd like to think the longer you're with a system, the longer you're in a city, the longer you're with teammates and the longer you are playing in this league, your command and confidence will grow every year."

Plus, he's accustomed to uncertainty, this being the fourth time in his career that he has played a season without another season guaranteed on his contract. He's bet on himself before and then landed another deal.

His peace of mind also reflects a realization that he begins the season in a good place.

The Vikings finished top-10 in scoring and total offense last season, and that should be a baseline expectation again in Year 2 of Kevin O'Connell's system.

Cousins will be throwing to the NFL's best wide receiver (Justin Jefferson), an excellent tight end (T.J. Hockenson) and a rookie first-round pick who has impressed early in camp (Jordan Addison).

Having more mastery of O'Connell's system should allow Cousins to maximize his receiving options and the entire offense.

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted at the start of camp that he has different scenarios in mind to cover each contingency in the looming decision at that position. The same applies to Cousins' side too.

If he doesn't re-sign with the Vikings, he knows he will be auditioning for the rest of the league this season. Perhaps that was part of his calculus when agreeing to be filmed for the recently released Netflix documentary "Quarterback."

The documentary provides a peek behind the curtain at Cousins' intense preparation, his toughness in dealing with physical punishment, and his family life. That insight will be beneficial if he's looking for a new team this offseason.

An NFL quarterback entering the final season of his contract after unresolved negotiations attracts big headlines. Cousins appears oblivious to any tension that could accompany that scenario. He says he feels at peace and everything about his demeanor suggests he's telling the truth.