Kirk to SF tomorrow, work it out

@"jargomcfargo" said: Cousins is fools gold! He has an arm that can make all the throws and great accuracy. But he is slow to make his decisions and ends up holding the ball too long. That doesn't help a poor offensive line get any better. He is also risk averse and will take the check down rather than take a risk at times. This leads to good QB stats but not always wins. He can't carry or elevate the team. The team has to be great around him to be successful. I think he is a good QB; but not championship caliber. I thought picking up Cousins was a mistake. Especially, considering the salary impact.  I realize they would have to of spent a lot of draft capital to snag a QB in the draft, but I wish they had.  Now they are stuck with this mess primarily due to the Cousins contract. I hope they prove me wrong, but I just can't see it working out. And if it doesn't, Zimmer and Spielman should both follow Cousins out the door.

Has anyone ever counted all the QBs the Vikings have brought in after they played (often their best years of their careers) for other teams? I am thinking back even before Spielman and the Wilfs were involved, so it really seems like we have some franchise penchant to bring in QBs drafted and developed elsewhere: Cousins, Bradford, Favre, Donovan McNabb, Jim McMahon, Randall McDaniel, Jeff George, Josh Freeman...I'm forgetting a bunch, no doubt.

In contrast, I think we have only drafted 4 QBs in round 1: Kramer, Culpepper, Ponder, and Bridgewater. Any others? I think the only other relatively high picks were Tarvaris Jackson in the (late) 2nd and Tarkenton in the 3rd. Has any other team spent so few high draft picks at QB??

@"Jor-El" said:

Has anyone ever counted all the QBs the Vikings have brought in after they played (often their best years of their careers) for other teams? I am thinking back even before Spielman and the Wilfs were involved, so it really seems like we have some franchise penchant to bring in QBs drafted and developed elsewhere: Cousins, Bradford, Favre, Donovan McNabb, Jim McMahon, Randall McDaniel, Jeff George, Josh Freeman...I'm forgetting a bunch, no doubt.

In contrast, I think we have only drafted 4 QBs in round 1: Kramer, Culpepper, Ponder, and Bridgewater. Any others? I think the only other relatively high picks were Tarvaris Jackson in the (late) 2nd and Tarkenton in the 3rd. Has any other team spent so few high draft picks at QB??

@"PurpleCrush" said:

@"Jor-El" said:

Has anyone ever counted all the QBs the Vikings have brought in after they played (often their best years of their careers) for other teams? I am thinking back even before Spielman and the Wilfs were involved, so it really seems like we have some franchise penchant to bring in QBs drafted and developed elsewhere: Cousins, Bradford, Favre, Donovan McNabb, Jim McMahon, Randall McDaniel, Jeff George, Josh Freeman...I'm forgetting a bunch, no doubt.

In contrast, I think we have only drafted 4 QBs in round 1: Kramer, Culpepper, Ponder, and Bridgewater. Any others? I think the only other relatively high picks were Tarvaris Jackson in the (late) 2nd and Tarkenton in the 3rd. Has any other team spent so few high draft picks at QB??

Warren Moon and Gus Frerotte are two from other teams that come to mind, although they played well for the most part. As for our own drafted QB's? Hard to remember asides from those you already mentioned.

I read this in a column somewhere recently. The Vikings took Mike Hughes in the 1st round a couple years ago, when Lamar Jackson was still on the board. Instead of picking Hughes and signing Cousins, the Vikings could have traded for Alex Smith and drafted Jackson as his understudy. Man, how different things could have gone.

@"PurpleCrush" said: I read this in a column somewhere recently. The Vikings took Mike Hughes in the 1st round a couple years ago, when Lamar Jackson was still on the board. Instead of picking Hughes and signing Cousins, the Vikings could have traded for Alex Smith and drafted Jackson as his understudy. Man, how different things could have gone.

@"PurpleCrush" said: I read this in a column somewhere recently. The Vikings took Mike Hughes in the 1st round a couple years ago, when Lamar Jackson was still on the board. Instead of picking Hughes and signing Cousins, the Vikings could have traded for Alex Smith and drafted Jackson as his understudy. Man, how different things could have gone.

That's like my endless wish that we had drafted Russell Wilson instead of CB Josh Robinson in 2012. But I guess the QB position was locked down by Christian Ponder at that point.

@"Jor-El" said:

In contrast, I think we have only drafted 4 QBs in round 1: Kramer, Culpepper, Ponder, and Bridgewater. Any others? I think the only other relatively high picks were Tarvaris Jackson in the (late) 2nd and Tarkenton in the 3rd. Has any other team spent so few high draft picks at QB?? 

You don't want to be a team who's drafting a QB in the first round every couple years. That means you're drafting busts and you probably suck. Browns (Mayfied, Kizer, Manziel, Weeden); Jags (Bortles, Gabbert, Leftwich); Jets (Darnold, Hackenberg, Geno Smith, Sanchez, Pennington). Patriots haven't drafted a QB in the 1st round in 27 years (Bledsoe). Seahawks, 27 years (Mirer). Cowboys have drafted one in the 31 years since they drafted Troy Aikman (Quincy Carter). 

Vikings are somewhere in the middle of that, which is what you'd expect, considering that of the 4 you mention, 3 were hits, 2 of which had career altering injuries.

The key to success is to either get lucky in the 1st, about a third of which turn out. Or get lucky later in the draft (Wilson, Brady, Prescott, Romo), or nail a free agent (Tannehill, Brees).  Every single team in the NFL has tried all three of these routes with varied success. 

Bottom line is you need to get lucky. 

@"Jor-El" said:

When I read articles or theories about the 49ers or any team trading for Cousins, I think of Andy Dalton. They are the same age, very similar careers in terms of stats, wins, and playoff wins (or lack).

If a team could pick up Dalton as a waiver / free agent, as the Cowboys did...why would anyone give the Vikings a high draft pick for Cousins?

Cousins new deal gives the Vikings a bit of an out if he is cut before the 3rd day of the league year this offseason (when his huge 2022 salary becomes fully guaranteed). The Vikings negotiated this for a reason???  

There are cheap options out their in free agency (Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, A.J. McCarron, Jacoby Brissett, Blake Bortles for example) that can give the Vikings just as much of a chance to win as Cousins, and also allow them to get out from under that huge 2022 hit.

Why @Jor-El do you want to keep paying him if the Vikings are not a win now team?

Kubaik has had great results with Matt Schaub in the past. So, for an extra bag of chips, the Vikings could have Schaub over Mannion "almost" dollar for dollar. And the kicker is the Vikings could be just as competitive with Schaub over Cousins in 2021. 

Yes, if the Vikings are not a win now team, I'm suggesting that the Vikings consider cutting Cousins in the offseason and pay him his salary for 2021... sign Matt Shaub (or a cheap veteran of choice) and roll with Schaub or that veteran.

So, unloading Cousins to the 49ers might not take much of an offer? If the Vikings are not a win now team, is the front office moving closer to wanting out of the Cousins' contract? 

can we just cut him?

Call up Kaep.  Sign him, Kubiak was the last coach to want him.  He can't be worse than this bum, and his legs would give us a chance. 

Well, Kirk’s doing his share to pave his way out of town, wtf...  :s 

@"Carl Knowles" said:

@"Jor-El" said:

When I read articles or theories about the 49ers or any team trading for Cousins, I think of Andy Dalton. They are the same age, very similar careers in terms of stats, wins, and playoff wins (or lack).

If a team could pick up Dalton as a waiver / free agent, as the Cowboys did...why would anyone give the Vikings a high draft pick for Cousins?

I don't think the Vikings are asking for a high draft pick? Where did you get that information? The Vikings might be forced to cut Cousins this offseason just to save the over 40 mil of guaranteed money for 2022. 

@"StickyBun" said: This please:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2021-nfl-mock-draft-saints-replace-drew-brees-washington-goes-back-to-qb-well-cowboys-add-defense/

@Jor-El said: Well, in a post on this same thread, earlier this week you proposed we may soon swing a 3-team deal with the 49ers and Panthers which would bring the Vikings not only Teddy Bridgewater but a 2nd round pick.

I appreciate you as Viking fan more than you know! Yes, I would love to see Teddy back in Purple, and yes I would love to get our 2nd round pick back! 

I am guilty as charged!

I would love to hear your opinion on how to fix this mess! This is a blog, your opinions are welcome.

Carl, all I would propose is:
1. Fire Spielman. He can't find a winning QB and has had too many attempts to et him try again. Whatever else Spielman has done well, if a GM can't fill the QB spot, get rid of him. Hire someone who has picked at least one good QB.
2. Fire Zimmer. New GM needs to pick his own HC anyway, but Zimmer was never a bright light. He made his reputation by being part of those '90s Cowboy teams, where a DC just had to keep the opponents from outscoring Emmitt and Troy, and then longevity as a DC. I don't know why the Wilfs ever thought "he's been passed over for head coaching jobs more than anybody" was some kind of positive qualification.

Then those guys have to rebuild the team. Very doubtful that will include Kirk Cousins.

@Jor-el: When do you fire those 2?.

@"Carl Knowles" said: @Jor-el: When do you fire those 2?.

We can't have a coach that can't beat two teams in the division. That means we have very little chance of winning the division going forward thus playoff chances will be hard to come by. That will warrant a clean house in my book.

It aint happening

@"rf54" said: It aint happening