Perhaps but sometimes it's nice to prove it so you can cut bait more fully.
***Official 2021 Vikings***
- Thread starter Aclone
- Start date
I'd do a trade of Kirk for Mayfield straight up as a 1 year tryout (if the new GM and coach don't want to extend Kirk)
From what I've read, this new GM is a fantastic people person and not only great with analytics, but also great with leading people and getting them to come to an agreement. Seems like that would bode very well for a HC/GM team that works well together and comes to a consenses on picks.
Also, he's worked closely with the Browns organization. If the Browns want Cousins to extend him (the only way they would trade for him), then its likely that KAM would come to the same conclusion. KAM was the right hand man of their GM.
If they trade cousins, they probably aren't going to get much less than a $29M cap hit. a Restructured contract would probably be part of the deal which would leave more of the cap hit with the Vikings. Its not a bad idea to try it out with Baker. You aren't on the hook beyond next year and maybe if he gets healthy, he really takes off. If not, then you move on.
Mond is not the answer, though.
"Extend" is the only word I don't want to hear from KAM and new HC.
Don't blow up the mojo.
Hey, if KAM and the new HC think Cousins is their best bet to get relevent again, then I'd trust their decision making. You just never know how much of the lack of success of Cousins was due to other factors than Cousins himself.
You would completely lose the team. You have no shot in hell winning with Mond under center.
Yeah, you gotta have someone reasonable. If not, just be ready for a disgruntled Justin Jefferson, among others.
I like the idea of trading Cousins, even if it's for a mid-round pick. Alex Smith a few years back got a 3rd + a starting CB, so if you can do something even remotely in that ballpark I'd pull the trigger. Kirk is fine, however, at a $45m cap hit, they'd have to cut multiple quality starting (albeit aging) players (Thielen, Harrison Smith, Michael Pierce, etc.) just to get below the cap. He's not worth doing that.
Trade Kirk, clear $35m in cap space (after eating the $10m), & try to find a bridge type of QB. I would be fine with Jameis or Mariota. A lot of analytical-type QB numbers don't see too much of a difference between them or Kirk anyways, & they'd likely be available at about 1/4 of the cost.
If one of them remotely works out, you have a guy for a few years. If they don't work out, you're likely picking in the top 10 & can take your shot at a top tier QB in 2023 (CJ Stroud!!!). Even if one of those types of guys does pan out, you can still be aggressive & try to trade up for a top guy.
This franchise just needs to get a franchise changing QB - whatever it takes - just please finally find one.
Trade Kirk, clear $35m in cap space (after eating the $10m), & try to find a bridge type of QB. I would be fine with Jameis or Mariota. A lot of analytical-type QB numbers don't see too much of a difference between them or Kirk anyways, & they'd likely be available at about 1/4 of the cost.
If one of them remotely works out, you have a guy for a few years. If they don't work out, you're likely picking in the top 10 & can take your shot at a top tier QB in 2023 (CJ Stroud!!!). Even if one of those types of guys does pan out, you can still be aggressive & try to trade up for a top guy.
This franchise just needs to get a franchise changing QB - whatever it takes - just please finally find one.
Would be interested to see what analytics measures don't see a big difference between Kirk and Winston. This was Winston's most efficient year by a mile and Cousins had a significantly higher PFF grade. His last full season as a starter Winston threw 30 picks. 30!
And Mariota is just a gimmick package guy any more. His last two years as a pretty much full-time starter he averaged like 2800 yards 12 TD and 11 Int.
demoncore1031
Well-Known Member
And then draft Hunter Dekkers #1 after he throws for 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in 2022?
This may sound stupid...but seeing him tweet this is kind of endearing and it's great to see a GM be this open, funny, not worried about 'swearing' on social. I dig it.
Mostly looking at Expected Points Added, which is a pretty key indicator in most analytical circles & weighs plays situationally vs just raw numbers. His last year as a starter (the year he threw 30 picks, which admittedly is a major issue!) he was top 10 in that measure.
I guess my main argument is that we haven't been a playoff team 3 out of the 4 years Kirk has been here. He's clearly not good enough (despite what the box score says) to overcome a poor defense & bad o-line like the truly elite QBs do. And, if you keep him at his current cap hit, there's almost no path to having a better defense or o-line as you'll have to cut quality starters just to get under the cap. So I just don't see a ton of downside in moving on from him.
Kwesi is definitely impressive in a press conference setting. Really excited to see who we end up with as a coach. Really starting to like the idea of DeMeco Ryans or Raheem Morris.
Both Kwesi & Mark Wilf stressed leadership & culture throughout the press conference, so I think they'll go that route of a younger guy that players will rally around. Especially after all of the negative press coming out about how dysfunctional the Zim/Spielman era was these last couple of years.
Both Kwesi & Mark Wilf stressed leadership & culture throughout the press conference, so I think they'll go that route of a younger guy that players will rally around. Especially after all of the negative press coming out about how dysfunctional the Zim/Spielman era was these last couple of years.
A lot of speculation that KAM's best option, if he can't trade Cousins, is to extend him for a 1-2 years to work on the cap. (I hope he just moves on.)
The problem will be the gap in what Cousins thinks he worth, and the number KAM will have based on Cousins age, production, and goofiness.
Let the analytics wars begin.
The problem will be the gap in what Cousins thinks he worth, and the number KAM will have based on Cousins age, production, and goofiness.
Let the analytics wars begin.