Minnesota Vikings sign Kirk Cousins to an extension

[herdapop]

My brother and I were down at the super bowl experience when the SB was in Mn. Kirk Cousins was there signing autographs still as a FA/Redskin. I told my brother that Kirk was going to be coming to Mn and I hope we don't over pay.

1. I think I was correct with that statement by giving him all that guaranteed money.
2. I also think we gave him too much power with the no trade clause.
3. I was not a fan of the signing a lot of that due to the crazy contract.
4. He seems like a good guy.
5. I don't believe he is as good as his numbers show this year.
6. I don't feel like the Wr's like playing with him which makes me nervous about JJ for sure.
7. Next year he as an over 40 million cap hit which if it stays that way will kill the team not only next year but in the future.

What are your thoughts on Kirk? I think some people think he is soon going to walk on water and is the greatest thing in Mn, I do not.

[SiteWolf]

I've said most of this elsewhere, but here goes.

Firstly, I no longer care or think it relevant to care whether we should have signed him in the first place...regardless of the deal. It's still only somewhat relevant that we extended him, when I'd have preferred we hadn't.

Kirk is a good guy. Kirk is a good QB. Kirk is not a great QB. We don't necessarily NEED a great QB...unless the cap space he's using up suggests he IS one. His stats, especially this year, look very good...but I agree, he's not as good as his stats infer he is.

1) He can't read pre-snap defenses well enough to check out of plays nearly as well as he needs to be able to.
2) He gets too locked in on receivers leading to him FAR too often not seeing wide open receivers elsewhere
3) He gets pressured and/or takes sacks FAR too often where the OL takes the blame when it's just him hesitating on throws
4) He gets credit for a high completion percentage despite the fact it wouldn't be nearly as high if he didn't have Thielen and JJ in particular making fantastic grabs of otherwise poorly thrown balls
5) Along that same line, because he too often throws just accurately enough for a receiver to make a great catch, that same receiver has less/no chance for YAC compared to a properly thrown ball
6) His fault, play call he didn't check out of, whatever the reason too often he's going for 20 yards when we need 5 for a first down or throws a 3 yd pass when we need 5....both with low percentages of achieving the immediate goal of making a 1st down.

Our options this offseason are:
1) Do nothing. Pay him $45mil next season, playing out his contract.
2) Work on another extension, reducing his cap hit next season but meaning he's still our QB the next few years and likely won't accept any down-to-earth/hometown discount kinda number.
3) Cut him and have a $45mil dead cap hit
4) Trade him, take a $10mil dead cap hit

If it's me, we trade him. We take the $10mil hit, we don't expect a ton in return (as in he's not going to net us a 1st rd pick let alone multiples), talk Kellen Moore or Byron Leftwich into coming here, see what Mond can be and/or find a trade partner where we get a viable starter in return. Personally (but it's the Oregon alum in me) I'd like to see us sign Mariota to back Mond up or be the stop gap until Mond is ready. This Vikings offense, with our skill players, a mobile QB running it and Kellen Moore calling the plays would be a juggernaut.

[herdapop]

overhyped, overrated, overpaid......... $45 million next yr?? He can take the head coach, O coordinator, and GM with him and I like Zim but he lost this team a few weeks ago imo.

[carter80]

overhyped, overrated, overpaid......... $45 million next yr?? He can take the head coach, O coordinator, and GM with him and I like Zim but he lost this team a few weeks ago imo.

Overpaid? Probably. But not overhyped or overrated. If anything its the opposite. I hope he stays the qb. I would like to see how he plays without Zimmer as the coach


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[SiteWolf]

Overpaid? Probably. But not overhyped or overrated. If anything its the opposite. I hope he stays the qb. I would like to see how he plays without Zimmer as the coach


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Is a different HC going to suddenly cause Kirk to be better able to check out of plays? Is Zimmer the one consistently hesitating before making throws, often meaning he either can't make it or sets the receiver up for getting smacked? Is Zimmer the one who consistently teases with beautifully thrown balls like the JJ TD last night then goes back to not throwing his receiver open? Tell me, how much of that changes if Zimmer is gone?

[iliketurtles24]

Again, I am fine moving on from Cousins if there is a clear upgrade.

[mngopher35]

Overpaid? Probably. But not overhyped or overrated. If anything its the opposite. I hope he stays the qb. I would like to see how he plays without Zimmer as the coach


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On this board he certainly has been overhyped and overrated. He’s very clearly overpaid.

In general you might be right though as perception often has him in the bottom half of starting qbs (showed some articles doing this prior to season I think it was). I think there is a middle ground where he is probably above average but not elite or even a clear cut top 10 type guy.


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[SiteWolf]

Again, I am fine moving on from Cousins if there is a clear upgrade.

if there is a clear upgrade? What would clear upgrade look like? Trade him and too much to Houston for Watson? Who would be a clear upgrade?

To ME, upgrade means NOT overpaying for a not-good-enough QB and therefore having the cap space to use elsewhere while having a solid replacement.

Not being argumentative, but more to discuss some harsh realities; the only real palatable way to NOT have Cousins after this season is to find a trade partner. That trade partner would have to be fine with paying Kirk $35mil next season (the other $10mil he's due would remain ours) or work on an extension with him (which I'd doubt anyone would do getting him for 35 for a year...I mean, why?)

So if we're already paying $10mil in dead cap for a QB, would we actually be able to justify paying for someone we already view as a clear upgrade. Is there a young QB out there not yet making big money that we could get in trade? A QB their current team may be willing to part with? That would be like Drew Lock, Daniel Jones, maybe Jalen Hurts...but they aren't clear upgrades.

That means a clear upgrade would have to involve projecting the value of paying little at the QB position as well as accepting the risk of going with an unproven QB....like, let's say, Kellen Mond. Our ideal, to me, would be that they see enough in Mond to give him that shot, knowing that opens up some $35mil in cap space plus whatever we can get in draft capital for Kirk.

[iliketurtles24]

if there is a clear upgrade? What would clear upgrade look like? Trade him and too much to Houston for Watson? Who would be a clear upgrade?

To ME, upgrade means NOT overpaying for a not-good-enough QB and therefore having the cap space to use elsewhere while having a solid replacement.

Not being argumentative, but more to discuss some harsh realities; the only real palatable way to NOT have Cousins after this season is to find a trade partner. That trade partner would have to be fine with paying Kirk $35mil next season (the other $10mil he's due would remain ours) or work on an extension with him (which I'd doubt anyone would do getting him for 35 for a year...I mean, why?)

So if we're already paying $10mil in dead cap for a QB, would we actually be able to justify paying for someone we already view as a clear upgrade. Is there a young QB out there not yet making big money that we could get in trade? A QB their current team may be willing to part with? That would be like Drew Lock, Daniel Jones, maybe Jalen Hurts...but they aren't clear upgrades.

That means a clear upgrade would have to involve projecting the value of paying little at the QB position as well as accepting the risk of going with an unproven QB....like, let's say, Kellen Mond. Our ideal, to me, would be that they see enough in Mond to give him that shot, knowing that opens up some $35mil in cap space plus whatever we can get in draft capital for Kirk.

We have seen what below average qbs are like. I dont want to go back T-Jack, Ponder, Webb, etc. just for the sake of getting rid of Cousins.

[mngopher35]

You can point to our history of coaches and probably gms and say the same. As I noted before I think all our guys are alright but alright clearly isn’t good enough. Cousins is the only one that is eating a massive chunk of cap though.

I think we should get rid of them all. I think if we even just choose to get new gm then we will automatically make the moves at coach/qb. A new decision maker is going to look at last chunk of years and want to rebuild not find a way to kick the can down the road again like we have been trying to keep this group largely together (we have less flexibility already than normal due to keeping this years version together and adding some pieces)


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[goingfor28]

I would trade just about anything for Deshaun Watson.

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[SiteWolf]

I would trade just about anything for Deshaun Watson.

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His legal issues still bother me

[vikings4lifebro]

I would trade just about anything for Deshaun Watson.

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Even the kids trust funds? 😁😁

[vikings4lifebro]

His legal issues still bother me

Yep. If Kirk gets traded then give me Mond or trade for Russell Wilson.

[goingfor28]

Even the kids trust funds? [emoji16][emoji16]

Trust funds? I'd trade the kids.

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