Its interesting with Cousins.....

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@mblack said:
If only we had a shot to take a "good/NFL ready" QB last draft. Just saying.

Our GM didn't get canned for no reason

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Part of an article From USA today. And i agree. Cousins is an empty stat leader. We had our other problems, hugely the last 2 years on d and some bad game management by Zimmer. Kirk didnt cause us to lose, but he didnt elevate us to wins either.

Im hoping we move on from Cousins, of course if we do, we will likely take a step back at the QB position, but like Zim, he had his chances. 

“Mike Zimmer was thrown overboard Monday after eight seasons steering the Minnesota Vikings ship, another classic example of how it goes down when the gig is up. Zimmer just finished with back-to-back losing seasons for the first time during his tenure. And general manager Rick Spielman was also shown the door after 16 years with the franchise, including 10 in the top personnel role.

Excuses, such as devastating injuries, COVID-19 setbacks or the missed field goals and blown coverages that contributed to way too many close losses, won’t cut it.

Skol, y’all. The buck stops. Somebody’s gotta walk the plank. Tough business.

Yet this L is just as much on Kirk Cousins.

The Vikings have invested $150 million in fully guaranteed money in Cousins, the quarterback who was supposed to lead them to the promised land. For that cash, the franchise got one playoff win and these back-to-back losing seasons.

Wasn’t Cousins supposed to be the missing piece?

Yeah, long-time Vikings fans know. The same was said years ago when they mortgaged the future in trading for Herschel Walker. It hardly panned out . And it has only gotten worse since Cousins came aboard in 2018 on a three-year, $84 million deal, which was followed by a two-year, $66 million extension.

Consider: The Vikings won the NFC North under Zimmer in two of the three seasons before Cousins arrived. Since the big free-agent signing, zero division crowns.

And now the Vikings are in the market for a new coach to try to fix it.

No, the Vikings defense hasn’t been what it used to be – or what you’d expect it to be under Zimmer, who made his mark in the league as a defensive strategist. It didn’t help that one of the league’s best defensive lineman, Danielle Hunter, missed the entire 2020 campaign and the final 10 games of 2021 with injuries. These are the breaks.

Cousins, though, represents a different type of break for the Vikings.

When the new coach arrives, he will likely be saddled with Cousins for at least another year, at the whopping price of a $45 million salary cap hit. Sure, the Vikings could try trading Cousins, but who’d want that contract? As it stands now, the Vikings are one of four teams already projected to be over a salary cap that will exceed $208 million next season, according to OverTheCap.com.

Still, the guy cashing the biggest checks, Cousins, was one of the unvaccinated players to whom Zimmer alluded. The Vikings could have sure used Cousins in Week 17 when they were blown out at Green Bay while clinging to playoff hopes. Cousins missed the game after testing positive for COVID-19, which brought to life the ire that Zimmer expressed during training camp about unvaccinated players and whether team leaders (such as Cousins) risked creating locker room issues if they missed games that were lost while on the COVID-19 

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@Bullazin said:

Part of an article From USA today. And i agree. Cousins is an empty stat leader. We had our other problems, hugely the last 2 years on d and some bad game management by Zimmer. Kirk didnt cause us to lose, but he didnt elevate us to wins either.

Im hoping we move on from Cousins, of course if we do, we will likely take a step back at the QB position, but like Zim, he had his chances. 

“Mike Zimmer was thrown overboard Monday after eight seasons steering the Minnesota Vikings ship, another classic example of how it goes down when the gig is up. Zimmer just finished with back-to-back losing seasons for the first time during his tenure. And general manager Rick Spielman was also shown the door after 16 years with the franchise, including 10 in the top personnel role.

Excuses, such as devastating injuries, COVID-19 setbacks or the missed field goals and blown coverages that contributed to way too many close losses, won’t cut it.

Skol, y’all. The buck stops. Somebody’s gotta walk the plank. Tough business.

Yet this L is just as much on Kirk Cousins.

The Vikings have invested $150 million in fully guaranteed money in Cousins, the quarterback who was supposed to lead them to the promised land. For that cash, the franchise got one playoff win and these back-to-back losing seasons.

Wasn’t Cousins supposed to be the missing piece?

Yeah, long-time Vikings fans know. The same was said years ago when they mortgaged the future in trading for Herschel Walker. It hardly panned out . And it has only gotten worse since Cousins came aboard in 2018 on a three-year, $84 million deal, which was followed by a two-year, $66 million extension.

Consider: The Vikings won the NFC North under Zimmer in two of the three seasons before Cousins arrived. Since the big free-agent signing, zero division crowns.

And now the Vikings are in the market for a new coach to try to fix it.

No, the Vikings defense hasn’t been what it used to be – or what you’d expect it to be under Zimmer, who made his mark in the league as a defensive strategist. It didn’t help that one of the league’s best defensive lineman, Danielle Hunter, missed the entire 2020 campaign and the final 10 games of 2021 with injuries. These are the breaks.

Cousins, though, represents a different type of break for the Vikings.

When the new coach arrives, he will likely be saddled with Cousins for at least another year, at the whopping price of a $45 million salary cap hit. Sure, the Vikings could try trading Cousins, but who’d want that contract? As it stands now, the Vikings are one of four teams already projected to be over a salary cap that will exceed $208 million next season, according to OverTheCap.com.

Still, the guy cashing the biggest checks, Cousins, was one of the unvaccinated players to whom Zimmer alluded. The Vikings could have sure used Cousins in Week 17 when they were blown out at Green Bay while clinging to playoff hopes. Cousins missed the game after testing positive for COVID-19, which brought to life the ire that Zimmer expressed during training camp about unvaccinated players and whether team leaders (such as Cousins) risked creating locker room issues if they missed games that were lost while on the COVID-19 

Technically, Cousins wasn't the missing piece per say.  Signing Cousins was to bring some sort of stability to the quarterback position.  Prior to this, the quarterback position was nothing but a revolving door.

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This team has gone backwards the last 4 years primarily because of Cousins contract, not Cousins. That was Spielman's responsibility and it got him and Zimmer fired. I fear extending Cousins simply for cap relief compounds the problem. The Vikings need to rebuild a little at this point and an expensive QB can prolong that process. 
I hope they can trade him but if not, I would not keep him longer than one more season.

One thing that bothered me over the Spielman years was his reluctance to be aggressive in finding a young franchise QB. He reached for Ponder and moved back up to select Teddy at the end of the first round, but was otherwise content with short term free agent, short term rentals it seemed.

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@jargomcfargo said:
This team has gone backwards the last 4 years primarily because of Cousins contract, not Cousins. That was Spielman's responsibility and it got him and Zimmer fired. I fear extending Cousins simply for cap relief compounds the problem. The Vikings need to rebuild a little at this point and an expensive QB can prolong that process. 
I hope they can trade him but if not, I would not keep him longer than one more season.

One thing that bothered me over the Spielman years was his reluctance to be aggressive in finding a young franchise QB. He reached for Ponder and moved back up to select Teddy at the end of the first round, but was otherwise content with short term free agent, short term rentals it seemed.

totally, the ponder pick set us back years. i didnt mind the move for Bradford when teddys leg fell off but the pick was Derek Carr in that draft, not saying Carr is all world, but you can win with him and he was the better prospect for todays nfl. 

been saying it for years, keep drafting QB’s and keep an excess. why is this so phukk$)(! hard? 

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So many people here are deathly afraid of a world without Cousins and they think back to the pre-Kirk days. But here's the thing: our records pre-Kirk weren't all that different.

Christian Ponder and Gus Frerotte were not good. We went 10-6 one year each with both. Exact same as Kirk's best season record. Teddy even went 11-5 one year.

I know Wins is Not A QB Stat... But it's a team stat. And it's very possible to win football games with a QB who's not as good as Kirk. The Vikings have done it many times. Things might not be so bad for fans while we continue our everlong search for The Guy.

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@pattersaur said:

@mblack said:
If only we had a shot to take a "good/NFL ready" QB last draft. Just saying.

Our GM didn't get canned for no reason

This is incredibly frustrating to me. I know @JustinTime18™ will kill me if I bring up my Mac Jones love again but I just wished we could have drafted a QB last year. We should have tried harder for Fields or at worst Mac Jones. Imagine the situation we would have been in now with a QB learning for a year?
It is just sad reading about the gymnastics we have to do with Cousins and knowing Cousins still holds all the cards

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@mblack said:
If only we had a shot to take a "good/NFL ready" QB last draft. Just saying.

Yea,  As a poster who really really pushed for us to get a QB last year I agree that it was Spelly's/Cousin's relationship that was his undoing.  

I was hoping and posting for months that Spelly would view Cousin's contract as a sunk cost - accounting term.  Not that I was saying Cousin's stinks or is bad I was just saying don't let his contract make you turn a blind eye on this 1st round QB talent.  It was a rare draft for us in two ways - 5 first round talent QB's, which happens every 15+ years if that and we had a relatively high pick for us at 14.  When the draft unfolded we really only had a chance for Fields and of course Mac Jones.  I was a big advocate to move up around 10 for Fields and thought/think he would be an easy Top 5 pick in any other draft.  

I advocated for a progression plan at QB....locked in with Cousins this year and have Fields sit the whole year like ended up happening with Mond.  

But let's say that is what Rick did - move up for Fields - he probably would still have been shitcanned along with Zimmer.  At least Fields is spared Zimmer's QB motivational techniques that have been so successful.  

The difference would be we would have Fields as a fall back to Cousin's with a new GM/HC for 2022.  We also not have Darrisaw, Mond, Wyatt and probably not our first round + in the draft to move up from 14 to 10.  

Hindsight is 20/20 and I am sad to see the Spelly era end in Minnesota (he will be a GM somewhere very soon).  I have been over Zimmer for 3 years so I am not sad about that.  But it is a big turn of a Chapter in Viking world!!

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@minny65 said:

@mblack said:
If only we had a shot to take a "good/NFL ready" QB last draft. Just saying.

Yea,  As a poster who really really pushed for us to get a QB last year I agree that it was Spelly's/Cousin's relationship that was his undoing.  

I was hoping and posting for months that Spelly would view Cousin's contract as a sunk cost - accounting term.  Not that I was saying Cousin's stinks or is bad I was just saying don't let his contract make you turn a blind eye on this 1st round QB talent.  It was a rare draft for us in two ways - 5 first round talent QB's, which happens every 15+ years if that and we had a relatively high pick for us at 14.  When the draft unfolded we really only had a chance for Fields and of course Mac Jones.  I was a big advocate to move up around 10 for Fields and thought/think he would be an easy Top 5 pick in any other draft.  

I advocated for a progression plan at QB....locked in with Cousins this year and have Fields sit the whole year like ended up happening with Mond.  

But let's say that is what Rick did - move up for Fields - he probably would still have been shitcanned along with Zimmer.  At least Fields is spared Zimmer's QB motivational techniques that have been so successful.  

The difference would be we would have Fields as a fall back to Cousin's with a new GM/HC for 2022.  We also not have Darrisaw, Mond, Wyatt and probably not our first round + in the draft to move up from 14 to 10.  

Hindsight is 20/20 and I am sad to see the Spelly era end in Minnesota (he will be a GM somewhere very soon).  I have been over Zimmer for 3 years so I am not sad about that.  But it is a big turn of a Chapter in Viking world!!

We may not have had Darrisaw, we may also not have had Mannion (assuming Fields would have beat him out) thus freeing another roster spot. Who knows who that player would have been?
I had a post about the options if we had gone Field or Jones.
"They" made decisions based on fear or being too cautious and it cost them their jobs
It just sucks