If not Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, then who? | Pro Football Talk | NFL on NBC

Mike Florio and Chris Simms explore if they anticipate Kirk Cousins giving the Vikings a chance to beat a potential offer from the Falcons and outline potential options at QB for Minnesota. #NBCSports #ProFootballTalk #minnesotavikings #kirkcousins
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And Chris I assume we’re going to find out today what is going to happen with Kirk Cousins I would think so I saw a in the saw last night and I don’t I don’t know what this was he’s expected to test free agency the Vikings expect him to test

Free AG well sorry Glascow sh Kevin oon told us 13 days ago he told us this is the stuff that drives me crazy people are under so much pressure to break break news break news break news break news they repackage old stuff and present it as something new oconnell

Said we want him but he’s earned the right to bet on himself he’s earned the right to go to free agency if he’s not taking the deal now yeah see that’s the difference between him and Baker Mayfield Mayfield knows there’s nothing out there better than what’s on the

Table so he took it right cousins is either waiting or he knows and I said weeks ago hey Minnesota if you’re going to wake up on this you better wake up before everybody goes to Indie because that’s where he’s going to find out who wants him that’s where he’s

Going to find out who’s truly interested that’s where he’s going to get an inkling that it’s worth his while to wait until noon Eastern to start of the legal tampering period And so you know I think at this point I mean it feels like you get this close you get this close it

Feels like the ship is sailing we’ll see maybe somebody wakes up in Minnesota I I don’t know I feel like I I you know I it’s interesting so you feel like more he knows he’s got something Brewing I I get the sense it’s more waiting still

That that’s the sense I get but I don’t I don’t know here again I don’t I haven’t had a little birdie or any inside information on this one I haven’t heard much here right now we we’ve talked about it at length in some other weeks here where you know again you just

Evaluate the landscape I mean there it’s only one other team right I I mean that that to me at the end of the day it’s really what it is like I don’t think the Giants are going to be like let’s bring in one-legged Kirk Cousins maybe he can

Replace Daniel Jones right let’s you know who else am I Washington hey Washington oh yeah let’s we’re bringing back kurk cousins we’re not going to we’re not going to get the number two pick we’re not going to get Jaden Daniels I mean it it’s Atlanta or

Nothing it seems right and I know I and again you know I talk to people or whatever right I I have no feel that that’s about to you know come down the tracks here at any moment or the chickens are coming home to roost here like right with with Russell Wilson when

I heard Friday that he was there and then I sent out a few texts I had a feeling that something yesterday morning early afternoon was going to happen where I was like well I’m getting the sense here right that there’s something going on here this is getting hot I I

Haven’t got that sense with the the Kirk Cousins thing and I feel like he’s waiting for that to happen so he can maybe write raise the price tag on Minnesota or whatever but I haven’t heard any substantial info to make me think the Atlanta thing’s real and maybe

I’m just don’t know but uh what about you Mike do you you got anything that’s real in that department yeah I mean we we talked about this last week yeah yeah I mean Atlanta’s real from the standpoint of he is at least creating the impression he’s taking Atlanta’s

Interest seriously okay now is that just the next step in the Le coka Warren Buffett Kirk Cousins guide to making a shitload of money maybe maybe he’s playing the Vikings maybe he really isn’t inclined to move an hour away from where his wife grew up maybe he really

Isn’t serious about finding a house and school for his kids in Atlanta maybe that’s all part of a broader ruse to get the wils to overpay but that I mean whatever’s been going on the Vikings are fully aware of it and I don’t think the Vikings have deviated yet from their

Position see what happened in Pittsburgh was they had a predetermined position and they deviated from it after Friday or at least before Friday whenever they decided to meet with him they deviated from we’re fine with Kenny picket and Mason Rudolph we don’t want a veteran quarterback who aspires to start as

Reported by a guy who’s been covering the team forever so something changed in Minnesota nothing’s changed yet it could change but Minnesota’s attitude has been and I think this is a fairly obvious takeaway from what Kevin okell told us 13 days ago they have a number yeah and

That’s their number yeah and if he can do better somewhere else godp speed and and they’ve stuck with that now my sense is that whatever number he gets somewhere else even if it is better than the Vikings instead of just taking it and saying see you

Later he will give them a chance he doesn’t have to yeah my kind of loose rough sense is they believe he’ll give him a chance right and the truth is just you know for the last six years for all time sake because when this happened before for him in Washington six years

Ago they didn’t want him there wasn’t any last chance to be had for Washington to keep him in 2018 Jets Viking right exactly right right right he had the Jets at the table but but with the Vikings I think that if at 12:01 Eastern when the deal parameters are texted to

His agent Mike McCartney if it’s better than what Minnesota has offered they’ll give the Vikings a chance I think I don’t know that that’s just kind of my gut feel I think that that’s what’ll happen he won’t just say Atlanta’s come in a dollar higher I’m

Out of here now there’s the Vikings have accepted the risk that that’ll happen and that was kind of the vibe I got when we were in Las Vegas and we’re with Kirk KJ Osborne and then I walk down and my wife’s talking to somebody it’s like that person’s familiar that my wife is

Talking to oh it’s Kirk’s wife oh hi Julie nice to talk we just talk a little bit and just you know there’s a certain amount of frustration that naturally emerges and this is another aspect of human nature you’re working at place you’re busting your ass you’re giving everything you have except on

Tuesday I couldn’t resist you’re G everything don’t worry if you didn’t say it I was gonna say it and and and and and and what appreciation do they show when it’s time to you know extend the relationship and oh here’s this other company that I’ve never worked for that

Isn’t being reluctant that isn’t being difficult that isn’t being standoffish about the future they’re ready to roll out the red carpet for me you know at some level that’s appealing and you know is the grass greener I don’t know we talked last week easier division got some great

Talent got a offensive coordinator that has the DNA connection back to the whole Shawn McVey Kevin oconnell thing so I mean we’ll see we’ll see uh I I thought it was going to be the first Domino to fall I thought maybe some of these other

Guys would wait but I also think part of this is the Vikings have made it clear that whatever their plan B is it wasn’t Baker Mayfield it wasn’t Russell Wilson I think that’s why those guys one of the reasons why those guys did their deals not that Russell Wilson was linked to

The Vikings at all I thought the Vikings should be interested maybe he wasn’t interested at all but Baker Mayfield I think one of the reasons he stayed put the Vikings had just made it clear you’re not our plan B yeah I I I think um the Vikings I think are still

Expecting Kirk Cousins to be their quarterback when all said and done I would have a hard time thinking they didn’t make a very fair offer right I don’t think what what they’ve said publicly would match up to oh wait we we low balled the guy or did something like

That that that doesn’t make sense I mean we talked the GM the head coach I mean it’s all High Praise I would think it’s something respectable a little bit like we talked about with Baker Mayfield I think ktk cousins is crazy if he just leaves to go to Atlanta for just a

Little bit more money he’s made a shitload of money sorry London like how much do you need and you’re in a spot where it’s like it doesn’t get much better for a quarterback you got a genius head coach and you got an unbelievable group of talent around you

As far and the best receiver in football arguably you know him or Tyreek Hill or Jamar Chase I mean come on that’s where I just look at it and go wow and then like you heard me say last week I think there’s great risk from Atlanta too I

Mean yeah okay wait you really want to do that I mean oh you’re 35-year-old guy that’s coming in on a on an Achilles right and and there’s no guarantee he’s really going to be able to do much with you during OTAs that that’s how we’re

Going to start it off I that’s where I just have a hard time believing that too I think in my heart of hearts and again I don’t have much knowledge on this one I think a lot of this is posturing and him just trying to hold the Vikings feed

Over the fire for every last dollar that’s kind of hiso that’s what he does so and like I said I’ve heard nothing substantial other than Kirk Cousins looked at schools and his wife looked at a house to make me think Atlanta’s real and and that’s where I’ll be interested

Today when it hits 12 o’cl to see what happens here and we’ll see we’ll see and I have and look I this idea of squeezing every last dollar out of Minnesota you still want to have a team around him you still want to have enough left and I now I sound

Like you well you sound like like me and I sound like you talking about Patrick Mahomes you got to have enough left to have a team around the guy I mean at least with Mahomes it’s working in Minnesota it’s not working and that’s the other side of this too Chris all

Right let’s do this let’s do this let’s say he goes yeah who would you pursue right now and there’s a lot of guys out there who would you pursue oh I’d probably look for a tandem of people right because I don’t know if I feel like any one guy is is the answer

Right so like I mean of course Ryan tanah Hill would be one of the names that pops up to my head right away Along With Sam darnold those are two guys that I think of right of the way and I need to pull up free agent quarterbacks uh

Because I’m probably missing some other on so maybe you can help me out there if I’m throwing missing some names but those would be the two how about Gardner menu how about Gardner M I mean yeah okay it be on the list for sure I think

I’d probably like the other two more but I wouldn’t be opposed to that I mean he would fit the mold too so yeah I mean again we saw what Kevin oconnell did with guys less than Garder mshu or Ryan tanah Hill or Sam Darnell last year

Right so that’s what I would look at but I would probably want a combination of both I wouldn’t want to put all my eggs into either one of those guys just solely and go well we’re trusting it with you know Ryan tanah Hill or we’re going all in with Sam darnold I think

Almost in my perfect world I’d want to have two of those guys cuz I’m not sure that they can you know carry the carry the load and the burden of the organization they haven’t done that yet in their career tanah Hill has but the other two guys haven’t yet to this point

And that’s where yeah I I would think those are three names that kind of Pop to my head more than more than others I’m going to apply a Twist to what you just said instead of going out and signing two veterans you get one and we see this every year it’s the Josh

McCown it’s the Mike Glennon the guy who’s the starter for six weeks until they draft the guy who’s going to be developed to become the starter Point does the guy get a full year do they go Alex Smith Patrick Mahomes I don’t know that’s what Gardner mchu did last year

He signed with the Colts he’s their guy and then they get Anthony Richardson and he’s not their guy until Richardson got injured we’ve got on the list now Ryan tanah Hill jacobe brassette Tyrod Taylor Marcus Mariota Sam darnold Drew lock is in play and we saw some

Stuff from Drew lock last year with Seattle it was kind of like h mhm little something there had that big performance came in for Gino Smith right got a big win in a in a Prime Time game uh I mentioned mshu uh Flaco’s out there although if

Teams are looking to go young I mean I think the only the only real question with Flaco is he can end up being the backup in Cleveland and if not Cleveland where um so you know there’s there’s more names than usual but there are but

I think we hit the main ones I think we hit the three that would make sense Z Wilson if if if they trade for Zach Wilson I’m done I’m out I’m sorry I’m sorry nobody’s trading for Zack Wilson Wilson nobody’s trading for well if Zack Wilson

Is released and ends up signing with the Vikings I’m out well what if if he ends not if he’s like your third Stringer you’re not over right I mean yeah yeah I mean he’d be perfect for that he’s the guy you want to be your third Stringer because you go well

Damn maybe in a few years he could be our starter but I hear yeah Zack Wilson no way nobody’s trading for that there there’s he is a beaten down puppy by the New York Jets fan base and the New York media he needs to be brought somewhere

And be able to fly under the radar for a few years and let you know and grow as a player and get his confidence and you know his mechanics and everything back in a right spot that that’s the big thing there so I think we hit the three

Main names with M Jones off the board now and in Jacksonville as the backup quarterback there I think the three that we mentioned are the ones that will be at the top of the list there for Minnesota but at the end of the day I still think they don’t want they want

Kirk Cousins they’ve said that and I think Kirk Cousins is crazy not to want them I do he’s in a place that likes them they’re good they’ve built something and he’s getting older and he’s got an Achilles tear when you’re going to go to a place and go wow I’m

Going to go this guy’s never called offensive plays before there’s some question about the offensive Talent how good’s Drake London Kyle pittz can we get that going there’s all these unknowns are you’re going to trade that in for you know something where Minnesota to me Mike I mean again few

Defensive players here in free agency and we’re starting to go damn the Vikings they were good last year they just had fumble itis in the injuries now now they got this and that’s where you know hopefully they can get this done maybe I’m just preparing myself for the inevitability accepting that they’re

Going to have to Pivot to someone else we’ll see how it plays out today and I think the issue with the contract less about dollars and more about structure because it’s already been reported I have no reason to doubt this that the Vikings don’t want to give him another

Fully guaranteed contract they want to have an out hey if he tears the other aill tendon you want to have an out he’s 35 he’ll be 36 in August you want to have protection you don’t want to get yourself in a situation where you need a collection of Zach Wilson’s and Sam

Darnold’s for multiple years while you pay that cap bill I got nothing against Zack Wilson Baker I said earlier I’m out if they get Zack Wilson I you that’s not going to happen don’t worry Baker Mayfield is type of contract but with higher numbers right you think that’s maybe what we’re

Looking at three or four year deal with big money kind of front loaded for the first two years but they can kind of get out of it if it’s if not going the right way I could see that being the case here you know again especially with the age

And the injury about how about this yeah I I think I think we’re on to something I know we need to take a break Courtney I’m sorry but I I think we’re on to something here The Baker deal plus 50% I think that’s what it’ll take 45 45 45

With the first 45 fully guaranteed and half or 23ds 30 30 of next year guaranteed so three years 135 million 45 million a year with 75 million fully guaranteed at signing there we just negotiated the contract that still seems like a hell of a lot of

Money but the cap is at 255 yeah no it’s a lot of money Ian he’ll be making more money than Matthew Stafford or Josh Allen or you know the old Patrick Mahomes average whatever he’s making why you do short-term deals that’s why you don’t sign Josh Allen Patrick Mahomes

That’s why you don’t sign a contract that carries you into your 30s that’s why he signed three-year deal and he’s done a little Band-Aid extension since then you have to have faith in yourself that when you come back to Market you’re still going to be desirable and teams

Are going to want you that’s that’s what I remember when Mahomes did his deal he sign for like 12 years like what are you doing yeah what are you doing all because Lee Steinberg wanted to have the first half billion dollar contract in sports that’s why that’s why no other

Reason that’s why well and the quarterbacks want to the quarterbacks want to help their teams out they want to help their teams out too you know I I think there there’s that too and they realize hey wait I’m in a great place and let’s get something long-term done

And I don’t have to think about it ever again and now you can formulate a great team around me because I’m great and now we can you know what it is in the books every year there is something to that to where Kirk Cousins approach is yeah

There’s a little unknown and oh wait the Vikings have holes everywhere on their football team oh okay well yeah okay I mean so there’s there’s you know there’s that aspect too and that’s where you know hopefully there can be a middle ground here here you know I would think

Kur cousins again I know we’re for getting the players every last dollar but I would think we’re at a point of our career where not every last dollar matters like not everyone like if you got 150 million 155 million is not going to make or break your life let alone but

That could make you know I know well I know but it could that 150 million or that 145 million instead of taking the 160 million might give you the three or four players you need to get over the hump and win the NFC North and now you’re a number two seed and you’re

Dangerous in the in the playoffs and that it it’s that fickle as far as that and the difference there and that’s where you know hopefully there could be the right blend for you and your Viking football team oh this is a topic for another day but the whole salary cap

System is designed to play on the players psychologically on players of things go against their own personal interest and they help the owners they help the owners yeah and cuz I thought of this when you said like with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes well maybe

They just want to help out the team well you know what the team’s going to do to you the moment they decide you no longer have value they’re going to post happy birthday on social media and tell you to pack your and go who did they do

What they’re going to do that yesterday they’re not going to think twice about it somebody somebody with the Jaguars last week got happy birthday on social media and fired the same day you’re right I know I can’t remember who it was I don’t know it was a defens alignment I

Feel like but yeah they happy birthday the afternoon they so now hey I’ll tell you this anytime I see and we’re doing this on the PFT writer text chain anytime we see someone getting wished happy birthday on social media like NBC wished G Underwood happy birthday

Yesterday I texted my folks uh oh she’s next’s in trouble so um I there was one more thing I was going to say about that damn it oh oh well you’re kind of old reminded of one of the alltime it reminded me one one of the alltime great quotes from this weekend

And this encapsulates the mindset because I want to help the team I love the game I want to help the team I want to do what I can it’s all about the team I love the game as the great Bo Scarboro who had a hell of a career at Alabama

And bounced around the NFL a little bit is now retired from the Birmingham stallions of the UFL as he said over the weekend in his retirement statement you can love football all you want but it won’t love you back it’s not a person it’s a ball hi it’s Mike Florio thanks

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