Quote: @"pattersaur" said:
@"minny65" said:
@"JimmyinSD" said:
@"Vikergirl" said:
It is what it is but I'm not even mad. They added to the defense and made the money stretch.
And they aren't likely done. FA is like first Christmas for NFL fans, you get a bunch of shiny new toys, the draft is the second Chrsitmas. Sure you don't always get what you want, but to focus on what you didn't get that you wanted instead of the fun your new stuff will get you is just going ro leave one bitter.
The day Cousins achilles popped he was out the door, sure he was technically still a Viking, hell he still is, but that day he got hurt he essentially started free agency and was done playing for the Vikings, I always viewed him one and figured the only way we would retain him would likely have a negative affect on future rosters, which it appears it would have.
I'm going ro look forward to today and the rest of free agency, then the draft, and see what comes of this new direction instead of focusing on losing out on 1 damn player.
Skol!
Spotrac:
Kirk Cousins signed a 4-year, $180,000,000 contract with the Atlanta Falcons, including a $50,000,000 signing bonus, $100,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $45,000,000. In 2024, Cousins will earn a base salary of $12,500,000 and a signing bonus of $50,000,000, while carrying a cap hit of $25,000,000 and a dead cap value of $90,000,000.
I'm very happy we didn't win the bidding war for Kirk's service with the numbers above. That money should go towards free agents and JJ/Darrisaw. He is walking away or limping with 150,000,000 of the total 180,000,000 fully guaranteed today. Wow, no thanks. He will be 36 years coming off a torn Achilles that not many come back 100% or last that long. Huge risk for the Flacons IMO.
Now to our beloved Vikings - WTF are we doing at QB? Darnold - yuck. We still have Mullins (whom I don't hate but also don't think he is going to take us very far). I was hoping we would have brought in Browning (former Viking) and/or Zack Wilson even before Kirk decided to go with the money (who wouldn't). Browning resigned with the Bengals and Wilson must be deemed too much of a reclamation project to risk along with a first round QB. We still have Hall?
So, after this draft we have 4 QB's - Darnold/Mullins/Hall/rookie. That is no Murder's row but maybe we can get lucky for once like other franchises.
I like what they are doing on D assuming the trenches are addressed in short order. Our offense is still loaded after we resign JJ/Darrisaw and Hock gets back around mid-season. I think Mullins might beat out Darnold and we will want the rookie to sit for a while, but that hand will be forced before his rookie season. I think we will enter 2025 knowing if we have a QB or not and do more roster reconstruction.
Honestly, I think we were treading water the last few seasons with an aging roster and cap numbers. Two seasons ago we had a ridiculous record with a horrible Defense that got beat by the lowly Giants in round 1 - embarrassing. Last season was somewhat of a Mash unit, but we were playing typical Viking football some great games followed by duds. I guess some folks think if we squeak into the playoffs, we would have had a chance to get hot and make a run to the SB. I am not one of those fans.
Now let's build a SB competing/winning roster not just a playoff treading water roster. BTW, our divisional rivals have been improving the last few seasons.
You, Jimmy, and I have all been okay with moving on from Kirk for a bit now. It made sense and still does.
The problem I'm having is the lack of succession plan. Us 3 aren't exactly geniuses (no offense). So if we could see the writing on the wall it's borderline unacceptable that Kirk is gone and there's nothing better to fall back on than a career backup. Things happen and KAM has to adapt, which is why I think we're trading way up in the draft and will frankly feel better once we do, but for now, giving all these weapons to Sam Darnold is like handing the Maserati to the 16 year old on her cell phone.
Kirk was with us for a long time and at any point in the past couple years, transitioning from him to someone else could have and should have been way smoother than this.
I like KAM but I don't give him much credit for not matching ATL's offer. It should have never ever gotten to the point where the only 2 options are pay a hurt Kirk $200M or pay Sam Darnold and pray on draft night.
Yes, and I have been saying succession planning at QB for about a decade  I agree, that it should not have come down to this but...it did. Kwesi is damned if he did and now damned when he didn't. I for one I'm happy we did not entertain 150 million up front for Kirk's injured services so I give him credit. But yeah, our QB situation is no murderers row but sometimes the band aide of mediocracy needs to be ripped off when being held hostage.
I want us to resign/extend JJ and Darrisaw yesterday and continue to build up the rest of the roster like they have the last few days. To me, this is about building a SB contending team and not a treading water borderline playoff team we have all become accustomed with. If it takes two off seasons to find our QB while building the surrounds then so be it, but I am probably more patient then most fans. I want to see real progress for the whole roster while swinging at the most important position.
In all fairness, Kwesi was named our GM in 2022. In the 2022 draft Matt Corral of Ole Miss was ranked as the top QB in that draft. He's now out of the league. Kenny Pickett was the lone QB drafted in the 1st round by the Steelers. They've already moved on.
It was widely reported that Kwesi wanted to move up in last year's draft to select AR. However, because we won 13 games in 2022, we had the 23rd pick & Indy didn't want to move back that far. Who can blame them.
We did pass on Levis last year & that's what I'll be monitoring going forward. Who has the better career, Levis or the QB that we draft this year.
Quote: @"Knucklehead" said:
In all fairness, Kwesi was named our GM in 2022. In the 2022 draft Matt Corral of Ole Miss was ranked as the top QB in that draft. He's now out of the league. Kenny Pickett was the lone QB drafted in the 1st round by the Steelers. They've already moved on.
It was widely reported that Kwesi wanted to move up in last year's draft to select AR. However, because we won 13 games in 2022, we had the 23rd pick & Indy didn't want to move back that far. Who can blame them.
We did pass on Levis last year & that's what I'll be monitoring going forward. Who has the better career, Levis or the QB that we draft this year.
Very fair. Levis is definitely interesting to track and it's odd we didn't take him.
But regarding Richardson last year and it taking two to tango-- okay, you're right-- what if there's no willing partners again this year?
A full season of Darnold is such a sus fallback plan I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I'm going to do us all a favor and sign out for a bit. This team is nothing if not perplexing. Hopefully when I log back on later I'll read something that gets me off the ledge!
Darnold and Aaron Jones is the combo I just don't understand. If we are going to start with Darnold for a year, I get that. But then why sign Jones for one year? If we were trying to win it all this year, the Jones signing would make more sense. I don't see Sam hoisting the Lombardi in February.
Quote: @"wiviking" said:
Darnold and Aaron Jones is the combo I just don't understand. If we are going to start with Darnold for a year, I get that. But then why sign Jones for one year? If we were trying to win it all this year, the Jones signing would make more sense. I don't see Sam hoisting the Lombardi in February.
The team isn't trying to win it all this year. Darnold & Jones got only 1 year. Van Ginkel only got 2 years. The only players who got 3 years are the younger ones, Greenard & Blakeman.
The team is telling the fanbase that this is a rebuilding year without coming right out & saying so.
Quote: @"Knucklehead" said:
@"wiviking" said:
Darnold and Aaron Jones is the combo I just don't understand. If we are going to start with Darnold for a year, I get that. But then why sign Jones for one year? If we were trying to win it all this year, the Jones signing would make more sense. I don't see Sam hoisting the Lombardi in February.
The team isn't trying to win it all this year. Darnold & Jones got only 1 year. Van Ginkel only got 2 years. The only players who got 3 years are the younger ones, Greenard & Blakeman.
The team is telling the fanbase that this is a rebuilding year without coming right out & saying so.
And for that, the Darnold contract makes sense, but not the Jones signing. One year on an older running back. He makes the team better, but not a contender. If we are a contender the next year, Jones isn't part of that.
Quote: @"wiviking" said:
@"Knucklehead" said:
@"wiviking" said:
Darnold and Aaron Jones is the combo I just don't understand. If we are going to start with Darnold for a year, I get that. But then why sign Jones for one year? If we were trying to win it all this year, the Jones signing would make more sense. I don't see Sam hoisting the Lombardi in February.
The team isn't trying to win it all this year. Darnold & Jones got only 1 year. Van Ginkel only got 2 years. The only players who got 3 years are the younger ones, Greenard & Blakeman.
The team is telling the fanbase that this is a rebuilding year without coming right out & saying so.
And for that, the Darnold contract makes sense, but not the Jones signing. One year on an older running back. He makes the team better, but not a contender. If we are a contender the next year, Jones isn't part of that.
Disagree. If he plays well and has gas in the tank you can extend him for another year or two and not have to fill a piece. If he doesn't, you have wide open cap for 2025. It's all upside with no downside risk, smart signing
Quote: @"Skodin" said:
@"wiviking" said:
@"Knucklehead" said:
@"wiviking" said:
Darnold and Aaron Jones is the combo I just don't understand. If we are going to start with Darnold for a year, I get that. But then why sign Jones for one year? If we were trying to win it all this year, the Jones signing would make more sense. I don't see Sam hoisting the Lombardi in February.
The team isn't trying to win it all this year. Darnold & Jones got only 1 year. Van Ginkel only got 2 years. The only players who got 3 years are the younger ones, Greenard & Blakeman.
The team is telling the fanbase that this is a rebuilding year without coming right out & saying so.
And for that, the Darnold contract makes sense, but not the Jones signing. One year on an older running back. He makes the team better, but not a contender. If we are a contender the next year, Jones isn't part of that.
Disagree. If he plays well and has gas in the tank you can extend him for another year or two and not have to fill a piece. If he doesn't, you have wide open cap for 2025. It's all upside with no downside risk, smart signing
If he plays that well, he’s gonna want more than KAM is gonna give a 31 year old RB at that time. This is a one year revenge tour…nothing more, nothing less.
It IS very low risk though…they can run him into the dirt (which they will) and they’re out nothing after this year.
He’s the embodiment of cannon fodder
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