I guess we'll see if Cousins was telling the truth...

I think it's a simple position for the Vikings:

"we have one of the best receiving duos in the league, a top-tier defense, a record of improvement, and a solid running game.  If you want to win more than you want top dollar, you should consider Minnesota.  If you just want the money, call the Jets".

@"Zanary" said: I think it's a simple position for the Vikings:

"we have one of the best receiving duos in the league, a top-tier defense, a record of improvement, and a solid running game.  If you want to win more than you want top dollar, you should consider Minnesota.  If you just want the money, call the Jets".

Cousins is a fucking moron if he goes to the Jets with that front office. That's a career ender.

@"MarkSP18" said:

@"Zanary" said: I think it's a simple position for the Vikings:

"we have one of the best receiving duos in the league, a top-tier defense, a record of improvement, and a solid running game.  If you want to win more than you want top dollar, you should consider Minnesota.  If you just want the money, call the Jets".

Exactly.  He has a pretty good tight end too.

If Cousins was telling the truth about wanting to win then the Jets would be further away than the Vikings by a long shot.

Look at their receivers.  Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Quincy Enunwa, Ardarius Stewart.
Look at their backs.  Forte, Elijah McGuire, Jahad Thomas.
Look at their tight ends. Austin Sefarin-Jenkins (whose a free agent), Eirc Tomlinson.
Look at their line.  Well, no need to look their as it is not better than the Vikings.

Their defense is not as good and they may cut Wilkerson.

The J-E-T-S are DESPERATE!

If this is the case, he is looking at winner as in the biggest possible payday. He is looking for a bidding war. 

@"KingBash" said: Cousins is a fucking moron if he goes to the Jets with that front office. That's a career ender.

@"AGRforever" said:

@"KingBash" said: Cousins is a fucking moron if he goes to the Jets with that front office. That's a career ender.

Hes going to make $150m+ theres nothing moronic about any of that. 

We have the cap room this year to front load his contract for about 36 million the first year and 24-28 the remaining years. That will allow us to wait on Hunter, Kendricks, and Diggs till after this season as they all are under contract through this year at least.

If you want Kirk, I think he would be willing to listen to a deal with 36 or so upfront so he can help the team keep its players following 2018. That will give you a big money QB with help on the cap after the first year. We have the cap room this year to do so. We wont in 2019

@"Canthony" said: We have the cap room this year to front load his contract for about 36 million the first year and 24-28 the remaining years. That will allow us to wait on Hunter, Kendricks, and Diggs till after this season as they all are under contract through this year at least.

If you want Kirk, I think he would be willing to listen to a deal with 36 or so upfront so he can help the team keep its players following 2018. That will give you a big money QB with help on the cap after the first year. We have the cap room this year to do so. We wont in 2019

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Canthony" said: We have the cap room this year to front load his contract for about 36 million the first year and 24-28 the remaining years. That will allow us to wait on Hunter, Kendricks, and Diggs till after this season as they all are under contract through this year at least.

If you want Kirk, I think he would be willing to listen to a deal with 36 or so upfront so he can help the team keep its players following 2018. That will give you a big money QB with help on the cap after the first year. We have the cap room this year to do so. We wont in 2019

it would be nice to get some of those 19 guys out of the way this year so we dont end trying to fit them all next year.  besides there is usually a bit of a discount by extending them a year early.  I would like to see at least 2 of them done this offseason.

As I said two weeks ago, it always has been and always will be about the money. But PSA the Vikings, Broncos, and Jets can all offer similar $ totals. The way the contracts are structured is what will change. The Vikings would need to be front loaded, Broncos back loaded, and the Jets evenly distributed. 

@"Canthony" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"Canthony" said: We have the cap room this year to front load his contract for about 36 million the first year and 24-28 the remaining years. That will allow us to wait on Hunter, Kendricks, and Diggs till after this season as they all are under contract through this year at least.

If you want Kirk, I think he would be willing to listen to a deal with 36 or so upfront so he can help the team keep its players following 2018. That will give you a big money QB with help on the cap after the first year. We have the cap room this year to do so. We wont in 2019

it would be nice to get some of those 19 guys out of the way this year so we dont end trying to fit them all next year.  besides there is usually a bit of a discount by extending them a year early.  I would like to see at least 2 of them done this offseason.

If you want to go all in on a QB this year, they may have to wait. Nature of the beast.

@"Geoff Nichols" said: As I said two weeks ago, it always has been and always will be about the money. But PSA the Vikings, Broncos, and Jets can all offer similar $ totals. The way the contracts are structured is what will change. The Vikings would need to be front loaded, Broncos back loaded, and the Jets evenly distributed. 

@"TBro" said:

@"Geoff Nichols" said: As I said two weeks ago, it always has been and always will be about the money. But PSA the Vikings, Broncos, and Jets can all offer similar $ totals. The way the contracts are structured is what will change. The Vikings would need to be front loaded, Broncos back loaded, and the Jets evenly distributed. 

If the Jets are stupid enough to fully guarantee the contract as it states in the article, who else would be stupid enough to do that? Cousins also said that you do the best that you can when it comes to contracts so you are absolutely right that he will go where the most guaranteed money is. I don't see that being here. 

@"AGRforever" said:

@"KingBash" said: Cousins is a fucking moron if he goes to the Jets with that front office. That's a career ender.

Hes going to make $150m+ theres nothing moronic about any of that. 

Other teams are going to tell Cousins, "Minnesota ran the ball 500 times in 2017. In 4 seasons under Zimmer, the best season a QB has had is 22 TD passes - OK, 25 for the season if you count Keenum+Bradford. Zimmer wants a game manager, he's scared of turnovers. Go to the Vikings and you'll never sniff 4,000 yards again, let alone a 30+ TD season...and Zimmer will always want to draft another CB rather than add a WR for your offense."
If the Vikings are serious about Cousins, DeFilippo has to impress him that we're going to throw, and Zimmer needs to look him in the eye and say, "I know we need to score big and throw the ball to take the next step and you're my guy." AND they need to match the competing offers. He might pick Minnesota if the money is even, but anyone dreaming he will give us a discount because we are some ideal situation is in fantasyland.
I had a dream that Cousins signed with New Orleans. Could they, if they let Brees walk? All the talk about the Saints is about re-signing Brees, but why would Payton give one last payday to a 39-year-old who will decline this year or next at the latest? Because Sean Payton is such a nice loyal guy??? Payton is 55, he wants to keep coaching longer than Brees can play and why gamble on starting over with a rookie QB? If any situation looked ideal to Cousins - maybe even worth sacrificing some money - it would be New Orleans: strong young team, good receivers, offensive-minded coach who has already won a title.

@"Jor-El" said: Other teams are going to tell Cousins, "Minnesota ran the ball 500 times in 2017. In 4 seasons under Zimmer, the best season a QB has had is 22 TD passes - OK, 25 for the season if you count Keenum+Bradford. Zimmer wants a game manager, he's scared of turnovers. Go to the Vikings and you'll never sniff 4,000 yards again, let alone a 30+ TD season...and Zimmer will always want to draft another CB rather than add a WR for your offense." If the Vikings are serious about Cousins, DeFilippo has to impress him that we're going to throw, and Zimmer needs to look him in the eye and say, "I know we need to score big and throw the ball to take the next step and you're my guy." AND they need to match the competing offers. He might pick Minnesota if the money is even, but anyone dreaming he will give us a discount because we are some ideal situation is in fantasyland. I had a dream that Cousins signed with New Orleans. Could they, if they let Brees walk? All the talk about the Saints is about re-signing Brees, but why would Payton give one last payday to a 39-year-old who will decline this year or next at the latest? Because Sean Payton is such a nice loyal guy??? Payton is 55, he wants to keep coaching longer than Brees can play and why gamble on starting over with a rookie QB? If any situation looked ideal to Cousins - maybe even worth sacrificing some money - it would be New Orleans: strong young team, good receivers, offensive-minded coach who has already won a title.

The Vikings attempted 527 passes and 501 runs.
The Redskins attempted 540 passes and 401 runs.

The difference is the Redskins defense was bad and they could not run very well.

Cousins was one of the top QBs on play action passes too.

https://fullpresscoverage.com/2017/12/14/matthew-stafford-is-highest-rated-quarterback-on-play-action/
http://insidethepylon.com/nfl/teams-nfl/nfc-east/washington/2017/11/30/kick-cousins-and-play-action/

Now he might not give much of a discount but as Guru has pointed out, a 5 year 140 mil deal is doable and it would make him the highest paid QB in the NFL (at the time of signing).

That is a strong offer from a contending team which he wants to play for.

I hope he does want to play here, but my point is that he may be concerned about going to a run-first team. I'm certain other teams bidding for his services will try to worry him that the Vikings want to minimize passing, play conservative, Zimmer is happy with just 21 points a game... A QB picking a team looks at three factors: money, chances to win, and chances to build his personal stats. (Maybe city, too, and we don't have a great edge there since FA visits are in March..)

@"Jor-El" said: I hope he does want to play here, but my point is that he may be concerned about going to a run-first team. I'm certain other teams bidding for his services will try to worry him that the Vikings want to minimize passing, play conservative, Zimmer is happy with just 21 points a game... A QB picking a team looks at three factors: money, chances to win, and chances to build his personal stats. (Maybe city, too, and we don't have a great edge there since FA visits are in March..)