Free ain't free in the NFL...

[swede700]

 

[Ozzy]

"On Monday, the Vikings, who have less than $6 million of salary-cap room, were able to sign a low-cost player to provide additional depth at running back."

 

No wonder why the Vikings have not done S in terms of free agents, thanks Kirk.  I am good with that signing of Ameer Abdullah, gives some more depth in case Cook gets injured and have Boone be the power guy potentially and have Roc Thomas and CJ Ham also but I expect the Vikings to potentially sign a better blocking FB or draft a HB/TE but will see.  Ameer has great quickness, special teams return ability just needs an opportunity.  Showed flashes on Detroit but was never able to really stay healthy and on the field consistently.  With that cap situation the Vikings have to get two possibly three starting quality OL in the draft no question about it.

 

[vikingsrule]

5 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

"On Monday, the Vikings, who have less than $6 million of salary-cap room, were able to sign a low-cost player to provide additional depth at running back."

 

No wonder why the Vikings have not done S in terms of free agents, thanks Kirk.  I am good with that signing of Ameer Abdullah, gives some more depth in case Cook gets injured and have Boone be the power guy potentially and have Roc Thomas and CJ Ham also but I expect the Vikings to potentially sign a better blocking FB or draft a HB/TE but will see.  Ameer has great quickness, special teams return ability just needs an opportunity.  Showed flashes on Detroit but was never able to really stay healthy and on the field consistently.  With that cap situation the Vikings have to get two possibly three starting quality OL in the draft no question about it.

 

I think it's safe to assume that Elflein is returning as a starter. There just isn't anybody that can adequately push him. Therefore, we're looking at finding two starting OL in the draft.

i would have preferred to have gotten one of those starters in FA, even if it was just Easton, but the Saints surprising bid didn't make that possible.

[Ozzy]

2 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

I think it's safe to assume that Elflein is returning as a starter. There just isn't anybody that can adequately push him. Therefore, we're looking at finding two starting OL in the draft.

i would have preferred to have gotten one of those starters in FA, even if it was just Easton, but the Saints surprising bid didn't make that possible.

True Elflein is a starter at center or guard but still we need another starter as a backup.  The depth is just crap, this is what we have right now, sure that looks ok but only if Isidora can play and be a starter which his a little question mark, same with Collins but both those positions could be filled by rookie players then it looks a lot better possibly. 

 

 

OT Riley Reiff, Rashod Hill
OG Danny Isidora
C Pat Elflein, Cornelius Edison
OG Aviante Collins
OT Brian O'Neill, Adam Bisnowaty, Storm Norton

 

 

Thank goodness we have Adam Bisnowaty, I liked him on Pitt and he provides some little depth at OT outside of Hill and another guy who could turn out, long lean athlete with some nasty to his game.  Still not totally sold with Hill but I guess he is a decent backup, Edison as well is not really a starter if something happens to be honest.  And really O'Neill is still some what of a project at OT, ok last year but nothing great and Reiff is just disappointing I feel but is arguably the best of a bad group.  If Elflein plays like he did this past year we could be in trouble, not sure if that was the offense they ran or injuries but he was a lot better in 2017 than this past year 2018.  Losing Tony was huge and that was pretty obvious with their play last year.  

 

 

 

 

[vikingsrule]

If they can get Brett Jones back for cheap, he'd at least be able to fill in as the backup G/C. I just don't know how to feel about him playing. Given how bad the interior OL was, you'd think he would have gotten a chance at some point. Hill is fine as a backup Tackle.

Collins is a wildcard. Looks like he was on his way to becoming a decent backup or fringe starter.

[Ozzy]

20 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

If they can get Brett Jones back for cheap, he'd at least be able to fill in as the backup G/C. I just don't know how to feel about him playing. Given how bad the interior OL was, you'd think he would have gotten a chance at some point. Hill is fine as a backup Tackle.

Collins is a wildcard. Looks like he was on his way to becoming a decent backup or fringe starter.

Brett Jones I thought was going to sign somewhere else this off season, but honestly last year I remember them getting him and some were excited.  The guy rarely played and was out played by Edison and Edison is not even that good.  Sure Jones started on the Giants the year before but obviously that was because of injuries they had, but who knows maybe they will sign but I doubt they even could.

 

Collins is a good athlete but is probably not strong enough to play guard and a little narrow and lacking wingspan to play tackle.  Not as sold on Hill but sure as a backup I guess whatever good enough.  

 

They were middle of the pack in sacks and QB hits given up but near last in the NFL in rushing and possibly that is the biggest problem.  Their lack of being able to run the football and a lot of that was the OL I feel.  

[TENINCH]

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

"On Monday, the Vikings, who have less than $6 million of salary-cap room, were able to sign a low-cost player to provide additional depth at running back."

 

No wonder why the Vikings have not done S in terms of free agents, thanks Kirk.  I am good with that signing of Ameer Abdullah, gives some more depth in case Cook gets injured and have Boone be the power guy potentially and have Roc Thomas and CJ Ham also but I expect the Vikings to potentially sign a better blocking FB or draft a HB/TE but will see.  Ameer has great quickness, special teams return ability just needs an opportunity.  Showed flashes on Detroit but was never able to really stay healthy and on the field consistently.  With that cap situation the Vikings have to get two possibly three starting quality OL in the draft no question about it.

 

It's not Kirks fault. 

[Ozzy]

22 minutes ago, TENINCH said:

It's not Kirks fault. 

Kirk is about $60 million in 'Dead Cap' hit which is almost three times more than any other player on the team and a $29 million dollar 'cap hit' which is more than two times as much as any other player, 15.07% CAP total.  Go ask Tom Brady about taking a pay cut to help the team spend more and become a better team, he did it and they win.  Sure it is not all Kirk's fault but being the teams by far highest paid player, yeah it is a little bit his fault obviously.  

He gets paid well over 2.5 times more than anyone else on the roster.

 

[PrplChilPill]

6 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Kirk is about $60 million in 'Dead Cap' hit which is almost three times more than any other player on the team and a $29 million dollar 'cap hit' which is more than two times as much as any other player, 15.07% CAP total.  Go ask Tom Brady about taking a pay cut to help the team spend more and become a better team, he did it and they win.  Sure it is not all Kirk's fault but being the teams by far highest paid player, yeah it is a little bit his fault obviously.  

He gets paid well over 2.5 times more than anyone else on the roster.

 

The alternative being? Because they weren't going into the last draft without a starting QB, this was supposed to be a super bowl contender.

And, it's all on the GM for not finding any starting IOL in the draft, ok, maybe one. 

[vikestyle]

9 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Kirk is about $60 million in 'Dead Cap' hit which is almost three times more than any other player on the team and a $29 million dollar 'cap hit' which is more than two times as much as any other player, 15.07% CAP total.  Go ask Tom Brady about taking a pay cut to help the team spend more and become a better team, he did it and they win.  Sure it is not all Kirk's fault but being the teams by far highest paid player, yeah it is a little bit his fault obviously.  

He gets paid well over 2.5 times more than anyone else on the roster.

 

Go ask Tom Brady for some of his wife's money. Blaming Kirk for making money is asinine.

[Ozzy]

21 minutes ago, vikestyle said:

Go ask Tom Brady for some of his wife's money. Blaming Kirk for making money is asinine.

That is fine, think what you want but I feel Kirk is in no way worth that type of money he is getting since he is not even a top 5 QB in the NFL, could argue is not even a top 10 QB in the league potentially either.

 

To say overpaying for Rodgers on the Packers or Ryan on the Falcons has not hurt those organizations, yeah it has and has shown on the field with their lack of success especially last season.  Lucky for the Packers and Rams though, those two QBs are elite NFL QBs, Cousins is not on their level at all talent wise.  Sure great for Kirk he got paid money and made pathetically that much guaranteed money, does not mean it was a good decision for the team or helps the organization that much.

[vikestyle]

4 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

That is fine, think what you want but I feel Kirk is in no way worth that type of money he is getting since he is not even a top 5 QB in the NFL, could argue is not even a top 10 QB in the league potentially either.

 

To say overpaying for Rodgers on the Packers or Ryan on the Falcons has not hurt those organizations, yeah it has and has shown on the field with their lack of success especially last season.  Lucky for the Packers and Rams though, those two QBs are elite NFL QBs, Cousins is not on their level at all talent wise.  Sure great for Kirk he got paid money and made pathetically that much guaranteed money, does not mean it was a good decision for the team or helps the organization that much.

Yup and nowhere did I say anything that you just said in that post. We paid Kirk a lot of money. Good for Kirk. He doesn't owe the Vikings anything.

[vikestyle]

I mean think about if you got a job where you are making 100k a year. A year after taking the job, your boss tells you that you should take a pay cut and make 70k a year so they can hire an assistant with the 30k they'd save. I wouldn't be too excited about doing that.

[PrplChilPill]

2 hours ago, Ozzy said:

That is fine, think what you want but I feel Kirk is in no way worth that type of money he is getting since he is not even a top 5 QB in the NFL, could argue is not even a top 10 QB in the league potentially either.

 

To say overpaying for Rodgers on the Packers or Ryan on the Falcons has not hurt those organizations, yeah it has and has shown on the field with their lack of success especially last season.  Lucky for the Packers and Rams though, those two QBs are elite NFL QBs, Cousins is not on their level at all talent wise.  Sure great for Kirk he got paid money and made pathetically that much guaranteed money, does not mean it was a good decision for the team or helps the organization that much.

What was the alternative you preferred? Because no top five QBs were available.

[Ozzy]

9 hours ago, vikestyle said:

I mean think about if you got a job where you are making 100k a year. A year after taking the job, your boss tells you that you should take a pay cut and make 70k a year so they can hire an assistant with the 30k they'd save. I wouldn't be too excited about doing that.

If I was in a job that was performance based yeah I would do that.  Give me less pay but make my job easier and more productive in terms of goal accomplishment by hiring other good quality help and coworkers which would potentially create greater productivity, results and longevity etc.  Yeah give me that over getting paid max amount.  Not to mention in pro sports which is in many ways the pinnacle of performance based jobs where the point is winning not getting your max pay amount possible.  If that is the case and you just want to get paid, few will remember you being on bad teams but hey you got paid, please.  If one cannot support yourself and your family off the millions of dollars you get paid especially for the top level guys, that is just sad.  5 or 10 Million dollars here or there should not break you as a professional athlete, oh and you do get paid by your jersey sales also, not many buy jerseys of losers.

 

Minnesota was 20th in total offense in 2018, in 2017 they were 11th in total offense.  Sure a lot of that has to do with the run game but obviously in terms of year one yeah getting Kirk did not exactly help the team win or produce more offensively.  Will see if he can turn it around and that team can turn it around next year with more familiarity.  Oh and they were 11th in passing in 2017 and 13th in passing in 2018 with Kirk so even that was not all that improved on even though many assumed it would be.  

 

7 hours ago, PrplChilPill said:

What was the alternative you preferred? Because no top five QBs were available.

They could have brought back Case and went after a rookie in last years draft or this years draft or did a variety of different things especially with how teams trade picks now a days and players.  Took a shot at assumed winning with a big time QB, or what some thought was a big time QB and it kind of backfired on them and they clearly could not even make the playoffs.  Ran the ball terribly and maybe it was all a OL problem, will see this season if that is the case or not if they can improve the OL somehow.  But there were options out there.  All I know is that the Defense did not play the same and the run game was not the same with Kirk as the QB, not sure if guys took it more easy on D and clearly the run game in that different offensive system was a problem as well so play calling was an issue.  Maybe it was just that and Kirk with a consistent OC all year will be different, sure better hope that.  

 

Back again to the point, did Kirk Cousins signing affect the free agents they could get this year and the years beyond, yeah it did.  And once more he is not the quality of QB that is worth that amount of money, or at least I do not think he is.  Will see if he can prove it this year and the next .