11-28-2020, 06:39 PM
In the sidebar is a story about our options with Cousins. They quote Arif, who probably knows more about this stuff than anyone. He sums it up...
“It’s a contract that the only realistic out is to trade and the only realistic year to trade is next year. If they trade him next year it can be sold as a two-year, $28-million-per-year contract to the acquiring team. Even with his shortcomings, that would be considered pretty reasonable. That would leave the Vikings with a more manageable $20 million in dead money in 2021 and none in 2022. If they wait a year, I’m not sure any team would want a one-year flier for $35 million for Cousins unless he came off a great year.”
It sounds to me like the Vikings have two options...
1. Trade Cousins this offseason described above. 2-year, $28M contract to acquiring team would be a bargain. Vikings swallow $20M dead, but none in '22. Vikings draft QB high or trade for one (Darnold?).
2. Rework contract again.
What would Vikings get in return for Cousins? There have been many veteran QB trades in the NFL (Brad Johnson, Bledsoe, Cutler, Trent Green, etc), but the one that seems most similar to me is when the Bengals traded Carson Palmer at age 31 to the Raiders (Cousins is 32). Bengals got a middle 1st and a conditional, which became a 2nd.
It would be wishful thinking to expect a 1st for Cousins, but it wouldn't be too far off. Who would want him? 49ers? Shanahan loves him and was said to be in "mourning" when 49ers traded for Jimmy G. Broncos, Colts, Bears, Jags, Washington...no shortage of teams who need a QB.
Pretty certain the Vikings would get at least a 2nd rounder for Cousins, probably more. Which, together with three 3rds, three 4ths and three 5ths, Vikings should have plenty of ammo to maneuver into a QB.
“It’s a contract that the only realistic out is to trade and the only realistic year to trade is next year. If they trade him next year it can be sold as a two-year, $28-million-per-year contract to the acquiring team. Even with his shortcomings, that would be considered pretty reasonable. That would leave the Vikings with a more manageable $20 million in dead money in 2021 and none in 2022. If they wait a year, I’m not sure any team would want a one-year flier for $35 million for Cousins unless he came off a great year.”
It sounds to me like the Vikings have two options...
1. Trade Cousins this offseason described above. 2-year, $28M contract to acquiring team would be a bargain. Vikings swallow $20M dead, but none in '22. Vikings draft QB high or trade for one (Darnold?).
2. Rework contract again.
What would Vikings get in return for Cousins? There have been many veteran QB trades in the NFL (Brad Johnson, Bledsoe, Cutler, Trent Green, etc), but the one that seems most similar to me is when the Bengals traded Carson Palmer at age 31 to the Raiders (Cousins is 32). Bengals got a middle 1st and a conditional, which became a 2nd.
It would be wishful thinking to expect a 1st for Cousins, but it wouldn't be too far off. Who would want him? 49ers? Shanahan loves him and was said to be in "mourning" when 49ers traded for Jimmy G. Broncos, Colts, Bears, Jags, Washington...no shortage of teams who need a QB.
Pretty certain the Vikings would get at least a 2nd rounder for Cousins, probably more. Which, together with three 3rds, three 4ths and three 5ths, Vikings should have plenty of ammo to maneuver into a QB.
B) 