• Kirk Cousins is struggling to begin the 2019 season.
  • After an ugly performance in a Week 4 loss, the Minnesota Vikings receiver Adam Thielen appeared to call out Cousins, saying he has to be able to move the ball better.
  • With the Vikings paying Cousins $84 million guaranteed, it seems as if Cousins’ future could be riding on figuring things out over the next six weeks for an all-in team.
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Through four games, Kirk Cousins is struggling, and things are getting ugly in Minnesota.

Though the Vikings are 2-2, the offense has underwhelmed, with Cousins ranking among the most ineffective quarterbacks in the NFL so far.

In a 16-6 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Cousins completed 75% of his passes but threw for an average of just 6.4 yards, with no touchdowns (and no interceptions). The Vikings gained 15 first downs in the game and did not score until the last three minutes when running back Dalvin Cook found the end zone.

As has been the case this season, Cousins missed big opportunities downfield and often resorted to checkdowns for minimal gains. Though some of that can be attributed to the Bears’ fierce defense, Cousins has frequently been hesitant to take chances on the field and has missed open players; he has just three passing touchdowns.

After the loss to the Bears, the Vikings star receiver Adam Thielen took as blatant a shot at his quarterback as a receiver ever will. Reflecting on Cousins missing him on a deep ball, Thielen said Cousins had to be able to make the throw.

"He made a great read of finding me open and just didn't complete the pass. It's as simple as that," he said.

He added: "At some point, you're not going to be able to run the ball for 180 yards, even with the best running back in the NFL. That's when you have to be able to throw the ball ... You have to be able to hit the deep balls."

Here was the throw in question:

Cousins' poor play has plagued the Vikings other times this season. In Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers, he threw a critical late interception that sealed the win for Green Bay.

Among many problems for the Vikings is that they have paid the trio of Cousins, Thielen, and Stefon Diggs handsomely, and they are not producing.

Diggs and Thielen have combined for just 388 receiving yards this season. Last season, both players had 1,000-yard campaigns - but neither is on pace to hit 1,000 yards this year.

Cousins' record against winning teams is becoming problematic for Minnesota too. He's now 4-27 over his career against winning teams, something that doesn't bode well in a competitive NFC North.

Signing Cousins to a three-year, $84 million, fully guaranteed contract was supposed to push the Vikings all in. In many ways, they are: Several key players are under contract through the 2020 season. If Cousins doesn't turn things around, however, they may have to explore their options.

kirk cousins

Foto: Cousins.sourceAbbie Parr/Getty

As ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio noted, the Vikings don't have an easy way to get out of the Cousins experience, as the money is guaranteed to him either way. However, the Vikings might have to pay a portion of his salary or give up a first-round pick if they want to trade him.

It's not as if the Vikings haven't seen "Good Cousins" before. In Weeks 1 through 8 last year, Cousins completed 70.7% of his passes for over 2,500 yards, with 16 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a 102.5 passer rating.

The Vikings began the year 6-6-1, however, and fired their offensive coordinator John DeFilippo. The returns under the new offensive coordinator, Kevin Stefanski, haven't been encouraging either, as an insistence on the run game hasn't helped anyone outside of Cook (and he too would probably benefit from a beefed-up pass game).

On paper, the Vikings boast one of the best teams in the NFL. If they can strike a balance between being a run-heavy team and finding what works for Cousins, they could reenter the contenders conversation in a seemingly wide-open NFC.

The Vikings next play the New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Detroit Lions, the Washington Redskins, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Dallas Cowboys. It feels as if Cousins' future may be riding on figuring things out over the coming six weeks.