Potential Cousins trade
Seems hard to believe Cousins would allow a trade to a team where he isn't in line to be the starter, but ya never know I guess.
From ESPN...
Publicly, the Falcons have said they're not interested in trading quarterback Kirk Cousins but that they'd entertain offers if the right deal was on the table. Privately, they have had discussions with teams -- and have asked for a lot in return, per sources.
Atlanta has asked for any acquiring team to pay $20 million of the $45 million worth of guarantees left on Cousins ' contract. To date, no has been willing to do that, and no team is expected to be willing to. But what happens this weekend -- and which franchises come out of the draft with or without rookie quarterbacks -- could influence how much guaranteed money a team might be willing to absorb on Cousins' contract.
There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million. How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up. The higher the payment, the lower the draft compensation; the lower the payment, the higher the draft compensation. The Falcons and Cousins, who has a no-trade clause, recognize their future is not together, and how it will play out could very well be influenced by this draft.
Wouldn't that be the craziest story in NFL history if Cousins left MN after an injury because of a rookie QB only to find out he's willing to be in KOC's offense with a rookie QB competition?
AGRforever wrote:
Wouldn't that be the craziest story in NFL history if Cousins left MN after an injury because of a rookie QB only to find out he's willing to be in KOC's offense with a rookie QB competition?
I look at the situation with interest, because...in the year he's been gone, he's HAD to face age/injury realities, and a brutal season in which he couldn't deliver despite being paid very serious money. I'm very interested in his mindset, because if he can survive the "mentor" role, he's still the perfect backup for the Vikings.
He's already very "paid", so if Atlanta eats the majority of the remaining guarantees, he could be had on the cheap. What I don't/can't know is where his mind's at after multiple physical failures last season.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
Yah,
JJM is unproven - but bringing KC back here doesnt seem like a healthy dynamic on the team.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
Yah,JJM is unproven - but bringing KC back here doesnt seem like a healthy dynamic on the team.
Because he'd want to start and maybe cause problems? I don't think I believe Cousins would be a disruptor. I think the only reason he'd come here at all is if he exhausted all starting opportunities. You have to admit, he'd be an ideal QB2 if we knew he'd be OK doing that.
The problem I have is that with all the crap QBs in the NFL and all the new crap QBs waiting to be drafted that there won't be one or two teams (if not 5 or 6) willing to make him their starter.
MaroonBells wrote:
Because he'd want to start and maybe cause problems? I don't think I believe Cousins would be a disruptor. I think the only reason he'd come here at all is if he exhausted all starting opportunities. You have to admit, he'd be an ideal QB2 if we knew he'd be OK doing that.
The problem I have is that with all the crap QBs in the NFL and all the new crap QBs waiting to be drafted that there won't be one or two teams (if not 5 or 6) willing to make him their starter.
I dont think he'd be a disruptor intentionally. Just think there is downside/risk bringing him back to the locker room, Eagan and more..
Let JJM get his feet planted w/out looking over his shoulder.
I agree, so many QB needy teams, he'll be gone out of ATL.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
A little Osweilery going on here, but this sure would be nice.
Yeah - Just watched this on Purple FTW.
No.
MaroonBells wrote:
A little Osweilery going on here, but this sure would be nice.I’d do that trade. I doubt the Falcons would.
MaroonBells wrote:
A little Osweilery going on here, but this sure would be nice.It's funny cuz I thought Andy was actually making some decent vids during the whole Aaron Rodgers nonsense but now he's back to making no sense as usual.
Kirko, who doesn't want to backup in Atlanta where at the end of practice every day he can drive home to his wife and kids, isn't going to want to backup in Minnesota where at the end of the day he can drive home to a rental, while his wife and kids surely remain a thousand miles away as they aren't going to uproot their lives again to watch Kirko sit on the pine for 6 months, not after she got the move back home that she wanted.
And the Falcons want to give up two 2nd's for a lousy 20 million dollars? All this stuff is just pure silliness.
Kirko should be looking to start in Pittsburgh or Cleveland if he wants to start. If he wants to backup there's really no reason to go anywhere.
AGRforever wrote:
I’d do that trade. I doubt the Falcons would.
It's an Osweiler trade—money and cap space for picks. The Osweiler deal had the Texans sending Brock Osweiler, a 2nd round pick and a 6th round pick to the Browns for a 4th round pick, $10M in cap savings and $16M in cash. Schefter called it the most creative trade in NFL history.
This is kind of trade the PFW guy is suggesting...but with better picks and more money. What it doesn't take into account is that Cousins is a much MUCH better QB than Osweiler was and would be a big factor in the trade. Osweiler was a nonfactor in the deal and was released before taking a snap.
Writing has been on the wall for a while on Kirk/Atlanta. Ever since Penix took over I've said they'll have to do an Osweiler deal to get rid of him. I was hardly the first to say this but seems like the reality is setting in to some in the media.
Anywho-- No to Kirk here. The sequel is never as good, guys. If something tragic were to happen with JJM or if we are really cooking and want to upgrade QB2 at the deadline, then do something then. Bringing Kirk in now would just be messy, no matter how much of a professional he may be.
Kirk surprises and shows up for voluntary OTAs....I didn't see that happening...
"Kirk Cousins is in attendance on the first day of the Atlanta Falcons' voluntary offseason program, sources confirmed to ESPN. The news was first reported by Atlanta's WSB-TV.
The quarterback was not expected to be present for any of the team's voluntary workouts. Head coach Raheem Morris said as much last month at the NFL's annual league meeting.
Cousins and the Falcons are at an impasse with regard to his future with the team. Cousins lost his starting job in Week 16 last season to then-rookie Michael Penix Jr., whom Atlanta has pegged as the franchise's quarterback of the present and future. The Falcons are comfortable with bringing Cousins back as Penix's backup, but Cousins would prefer to be released so he can be a starter somewhere in the NFL in 2025.
Atlanta does not want to release Cousins, who is owed a guaranteed $27.5 million this coming season. Cousins also has a no-trade clause and would have to clear any kind of swap. The Falcons would not mind trading Cousins as long as a team is willing to take on some of that guaranteed money, which includes a $10 million roster bonus in 2026.
For those reasons, the expectation was that Cousins would not come to Flowery Branch, Georgia, for the voluntary portion of the offseason program.
"I'm not going to be foolish to think that he's going to show up for voluntary work," Morris said at the league meeting. "Right now, we're dealing with a businesslike mode. ... We're dealing with that type of feel. I don't think he'll be there. If he is, we'll welcome him with open arms. But I'm not going to be foolish enough to make myself get worked up and angry about Kirk Cousins missing voluntary workouts."
But Cousins is indeed present, one day after the Falcons signed another quarterback, Easton Stick, as a likely reserve behind Penix and potentially Cousins if a deal cannot get done. Stick spent last season as the No. 3 quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers behind Justin Herbert and former Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke.
The Falcons signed Cousins last offseason to a $100 million guaranteed contract and then stunningly drafted Penix at No. 8 a few weeks later. Cousins, coming off a torn Achilles, played well early last season, leading Atlanta to a 6-3 start, its best since the 2016 Super Bowl team.
But, beginning in Week 10, Cousins struggled. He went on a five-game stretch with nine interceptions and just one touchdown pass before being benched in favor of Penix.
The Falcons lost four straight during that span and finished 8-9, short of a playoff berth. Atlanta has not had a winning record or made the playoffs since 2017."
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44802410/cousins-opening-falcons-voluntary-workouts
Kirk probably thinks he might have a chance winning the starting position back if he shows up everyday and try's to light it up during OTAs and training camp. Maybe raise his stock around the league if he does really well.
I think there’s less of a chance that we trade for Cousins to be our backup than there is that Aaron Rodgers signs here to be a backup.
This is the type of shit that people sling against the wall that doesn’t even make sense.
The Falcons aren’t trading multiple seconds to save $20M. The draft picks are more of a valuable resource than the money. Cousins isn’t going to approve a trade to go be a backup somewhere. Why would he put him and his family through that process for a lateral move?
The bottom line is that no one is trading for an injured, immobile Cousins. When you see videos of Cousins running around semi-normally, slinging the ball around like an NFL QB, then we can start having a discussion about trades. The most likely scenario, in my mind, is that Cousins will have to go out there during training camp in front of the cameras and prove that he can move around and throw like an NFL QB, and if he can, there will be some calls on moving him, and he’ll probably veto the backup jobs, but could move on for a starting position. If he doesn’t look better than he did day 1 last year, the Falcons will have to just eat the cost, keep him as a backup, and cut/trade him next offseason.
I hope they find a trade partner and Kirk uses his No Trade Clause. I still think Atl will need to release him.
People sleep peacably at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
Where is the value in having Kirk return? He knows the system so he is a sure fire fit for a back up. But the Vikings had what, 6 years of him before he tore his achilles? He wasn't able to take them to the promise land then. I would just as soon look elsewhere. I want a back up who can support JJM. Cousins isn't that guy, and Atlanta is trying to deal him at a price the Vikings shouldn't pay.
One possible hurdle to a Cousins trade is that along with the Vikings only having 4 picks, the Falcons only have 5, so neither side wants to lose picks.
The solution might be a pick swap.
Vikings pay $10 million and get Kirk and #118 and send #139 to Atlanta. Then maybe trade back from 118 to get more picks.
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