Vikings Message Board.Com

J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:43 pm If they're going to keep him, then they probably will have to restructure him ... again.

The can just add void years and move his cap hit without extending him. They won't do it that way if Rick keeps his job, because it will be an admission that they don't want to keep Cousins beyond this year, and puts the whole signing and extension in a bad light, but it is possible.

The perfect Kirk Cousins solution, and the only true solution, is do not extend him again. Not even if he is willing to take a cap friendly deal. Tell him and his agent that next year is the last year he'll play for the Vikings and see if they're willing to do something to move him somewhere the gravy train might be willing to keep going for a few years.

I don't see any way to move him in a deal otherwise. While Kapp's ideas are great, nobody is going to take Cousins at $45 million guaranteed next year, including the Lions. Nobody is that desperate for a QB, and any teams that were that desperate for a QB aren't going to see Cousins as the answer. It just isn't going to happen. It would take a miracle to find a trade partner as-is, but if Cousins and his agent were willing to work something out to facilitate it, it might be possible.

As for the Vikings at this point, the QB situation is not good. I'm not convinced Mond is going to develop. He might, but all rookie QBs are more or less a roll of the dice, and I really don't want the next GM of the team, whoever that might be, to put too many chips on a single bet at the position. This also isn't a great year at QB in the draft, and even if it were, the Vikings are going to do what they always seem to do and finish with just enough wins to take them out of serious contention for one of them if they did want to move up.

In my view, this year's draft is setting up really well for interior OL/DL in the first two rounds for the Vikings. Snag a guy like Jordan Davis of Georgia at DT in the first, and follow that up with one of the two LSU guards in the 2nd, and now you're talking. I don't see a QB worth spending draft capital to move up for, at least not yet.

The Wilfs are hopefully starting to think about the post-Cousins, Zimmer and Spielman era, because they'll want to be able to move on things quickly once the season is over. They do NOT want Spielman continuing to play Jenga with the cap or player moves any longer than necessary.

Vets that should be on the dock to be released as well:

- Harrison Smith
- Anthony Barr
- Look for a trade for Adam Theilen
- Dalvin Cook if they can find any takers
- Danielle Hunter if he's still under contract (can't remember if his new deal made him an FA after the season)

Basically, dedicate the team to younger, up-and-coming or at-peak vets, trade or cut dead weight big contract vets who aren't pulling their weight for one reason or another, and get to work building out the DL and OL cores, hopefully poaching some younger up-and-coming talent in FA as needed.

Oh, and get rid of Joseph. He should already be gone. The fact he's still the field goal kicker is beyond me.

My favorite thread in years…

Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

VikingLord wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 5:15 pm
- Harrison Smith
- Anthony Barr
- Look for a trade for Adam Theilen
- Dalvin Cook if they can find any takers
- Danielle Hunter if he's still under contract (can't remember if his new deal made him an FA after the season)

-Smith will likely end up playing at least one year on his new deal, but I don't see how the Vikings pay him 16 million in 2023. 2022 is probably his last season as a Viking.
-Barr is a free agent after this season but will still be costing the Vikings 9 million to play for someone else.
-There probably isn't a big market for an aging Theilen and he has more value to us than any other team. I would be shocked if he didn't retire a Viking.
-Trading Cook only saves 2 million in cap next year and I doubt any team would take on his contract anyway. The best way to deal with him is force him to restructure, something his agent will likely be able to convince him is in his best interest.
-Hunter probably makes the most sense in a trade, since he is on his last year of his deal and there would be a market for him. He is by far the most impactful player on this defense when healthy though, and the drop in defensive play from game 8 when he went out to now is alarming.

StumpHunter wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:32 am -Hunter probably makes the most sense in a trade, since he is on his last year of his deal and there would be a market for him. He is by far the most impactful player on this defense when healthy though, and the drop in defensive play from game 8 when he went out to now is alarming.

Hunter is a stud when he's healthy. Problem is, he has trouble staying healthy.

Like all things it depends on what they can get in trade for him and whether a new GM and head coach would want to keep him around knowing what they know about his health history.

The Vikings sure went from having great bookend pass rushers to nothing in a hurry this year, didn't they?

No one is going to take on Cousin's contract. Teams have eyes and access to game tapes. They know about his records against winning teams.

Reason #142 why Speilman should be first out the door at the end of the season.

StpViking wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:34 pm No one is going to take on Cousin's contract. Teams have eyes and access to game tapes. They know about his records against winning teams.

Reason #142 while Speilman should be first out the door at the end of the season.

Don't be so sure. The Eagles got rid of Carson Wentz and his big salary, and he was a huge injury risk, which Cousins is not.

I can think of at least six possibilities.

Denver was in the Cousins sweepstakes in 2018, so Elway has shown interest in the past. And they need competent QB play, since they've had nothing at QB since Peyton Manning retired. Plus, GM George Paton has strong Vikings ties. Trade Cousins for some draft capital. Doesn't even have to be that much. A mid-round pick or two. You could even bring back Teddy as a bridge, since he'll be a UFA.

The quarterback situation in Carolina is a mess. Trading Cousins to the Panthers could mean taking on Sam Darnold, but you're talking an $18.6 million cap hit plus $10 million in dead cap instead of $45 million.

Unless Houston thinks Davis Mills or Tyrod Taylor is the long-term answer, they're going to be in the market for a quarterback in a year when there are no super studs in the draft. Would they trade Deshaun Watson for Cousins? Would the Vikings want the baggage? I don't know, but you can't deny it's a possibility. Heck, it's possible that with Watson being poison in Houston, you could do that deal straight-up. Their cap hits to each team would be identical at $35 million.

New Orleans has absolutely nothing at quarterback. One would think they'd be more likely to pursue Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers, but those guys would cost a lot more in a trade than Cousins would.

Pittsburgh is about to lose Ben Roethlisberger to retirement. Cousins cap hit would be $35 million. Big Ben's was $25 million. It's a manageable difference, and Cousins (incredibly) would be a pretty big upgrade over the current version of Big Ben.

Then there's Detroit, as I mentioned before. My OP was a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it's not impossible. Jared Goff is terrible, but his contract is friendly ... cap hit to any team he's traded to would be $10.5 million, with an out in 2023. Play Goff for a year, lose 13 games and be in the running for Bryce Young in 2023.

None of these scenarios are locks. Heck, they're probably long shots. But if the Vikings are truly motivated to dump Cousins, I am convinced they can get it done.

Oh, and while we're throwing around possibilities, I give you another team that is coming up in plenty of articles about potential trade partners for Cousins ...

the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns are on the verge of missing the playoffs in a year when many thought they were a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They face a decision with Baker Mayfield, who has not exactly lit the world on fire this season.

Add to that the fact that head coach Kevin Stefanski coaxed the best season of Kirk Cousins' career in 2019 when he was Vikings OC. Stefanski knows that if Cousins has a solid running game, which Cleveland has in spades, and gets good protection, which he would with Cleveland's excellent O-line, he can thrive.

Do not be surprised if the Browns come up in trade talks once the season is over.

J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 12:02 pm Oh, and while we're throwing around possibilities, I give you another team that is coming up in plenty of articles about potential trade partners for Cousins ...

the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns are on the verge of missing the playoffs in a year when many thought they were a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They face a decision with Baker Mayfield, who has not exactly lit the world on fire this season.

Add to that the fact that head coach Kevin Stefanski coaxed the best season of Kirk Cousins' career in 2019 when he was Vikings OC. Stefanski knows that if Cousins has a solid running game, which Cleveland has in spades, and gets good protection, which he would with Cleveland's excellent O-line, he can thrive.

Do not be surprised if the Browns come up in trade talks once the season is over.

That is a really good one. The Browns are in the same boat as Carolina with their QB having all of his 5th year guaranteed for 2022. Only Mayfield is actually a somewhat competent QB I wouldn't mind getting back in a trade. The only downside is their draft pick is worse.

I see the Browns and Steelers as the most viable trade partners. The most likely scenario is Kirk still on the Vikings I'm a bite the bullet year though in my eyes.

Kirk already trying to endear himself to Steeler's fans. Look how close Kirk came to getting the Steelers a big come from behind win.

Maelstrom88 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 09, 2021 4:20 pm I see the Browns and Steelers as the most viable trade partners. The most likely scenario is Kirk still on the Vikings I'm a bite the bullet year though in my eyes.

I also feel the Broncos and Panthers are a fit. I don't know how either team can sell what they currently have and convince the fans that they are taking the best approach. They are basically throwing the season out the window. I'm not a GM but how can an idiot actually think that can work? The Broncos have a young guy who I really liked coming out of college and wanted us to pick. Apparently he sucks big time. I think Kirk stays here mainly because I highly doubt the Wilf's will go into next season with nothing behind center. I don't think Rick or Zim get fired either. That sucks worse than keeping Kirk. Next year the draft will be a joke and we will be playing Zim ball. Which is basically trying to hide a pathetic D.