QB Frenzy

[navysaintsfan]

5 minutes ago, Shylo3716 said:

What makes Kirk Cousins so special to receive a fully guaranteed contract?

Desperation?

I mean I don't think Bridgewater, Bradford, or especially Keenum would have been bad options considering how they had played in that system already. And even more so if Cook comes back healthy. But speaking realistically, Cousins is a step up from any of them talent wise, IMO. And could be worth locking up as your "franchise guy". But a fully guaranteed contract like that? I don't think he is worth that much. But with that defense, a strong running game, and passing options, adding "the right guy" under center can be the difference between another post-season early exit and multiple Super Bowls.

Do I like the contract? Hell no. But do I understand the logic? I guess I do.

[Shylo3716]

7 minutes ago, navysaintsfan said:

Desperation?

I mean I don't think Bridgewater, Bradford, or especially Keenum would have been bad options considering how they had played in that system already. And even more so if Cook comes back healthy. But speaking realistically, Cousins is a step up from any of them talent wise, IMO. And could be worth locking up as your "franchise guy". But a fully guaranteed contract like that? I don't think he is worth that much. But with that defense, a strong running game, and passing options, adding "the right guy" under center can be the difference between another post-season early exit and multiple Super Bowls.

Do I like the contract? Hell no. But do I understand the logic? I guess I do.

Aside from the on field play, I’m just trying to figure out how no one else has received one prior to him.

[navysaintsfan]

Just now, Shylo3716 said:

Aside from the on field play, I’m just trying to figure out how no one else has received one prior to him.

NFL Front Offices normally avoid doling out lots of guaranteed money, they don't want the NFL to become like the NBA in terms of contracts. But Cousins's agent just made every superstar in the NFL lick their chops by creating one simple thing. Precedent.

[Soko]

2 minutes ago, Shylo3716 said:

Aside from the on field play, I’m just trying to figure out how no one else has received one prior to him.

Youngish QBs that get floated around as franchise guys hardly ever hit the FA market without some sort of red flags. 

Most bonafide QBs that either hit the market or become available via trade are either old, oft injured, or have small resumes (Bridgewater). When all those things aren’t on the table and you add in market inflation, you get Kirk Cousins.

[Shylo3716]

Keenum to Denver
Cousins to Minnesota 
Bradford to Arizona
Bridgewater to NYJ

McCarron is the odd man out if Buffalo doesn’t make a move.

[Uncle Buck]

4 hours ago, navysaintsfan said:

Desperation?

I mean I don't think Bridgewater, Bradford, or especially Keenum would have been bad options considering how they had played in that system already. And even more so if Cook comes back healthy. But speaking realistically, Cousins is a step up from any of them talent wise, IMO. And could be worth locking up as your "franchise guy". But a fully guaranteed contract like that? I don't think he is worth that much. But with that defense, a strong running game, and passing options, adding "the right guy" under center can be the difference between another post-season early exit and multiple Super Bowls.

Do I like the contract? Hell no. But do I understand the logic? I guess I do.

Here's how I see it:

We almost made it to the Super Bowl last year.  Who is available that has the best chance of getting us that far again next year?

Keenum - He had a great season, but just about everything went his way.  We probably WOULD NOT get as far with him again.

Bradford - He's better than Keenum when healthy.  Consensus = He more than likely WOULD NOT be playing by the time the playoffs come around.

Bridgewater - Higher upside than Keenum, but he hasn't played for 2 years.  We MIGHT get as far as last year with him, but very possibly would not.

Draft a rookie - Extremely unlikely that a rookie could lead a team - even a team as good as the Vikings, deep into the playoffs in his first season.  If the rookie is a bust, he sets us back for 3-5 years and wastes the opportunity we have with an otherwise very talented and complete team.  That's a huge gamble in this situation.

Cousins - Better than Keenum and about equal to a healthy Bradford.  He undoubtedly gives us the best chance to go deep into the playoffs in 2018.  Looking at it this way, he is probably the safest choice in our situation, even with the big contract.  I think the Vikings made a choice that made the most sense based on the choices that were available.

 

[Uncle Buck]

1 hour ago, Shylo3716 said:

Keenum to Denver
Cousins to Minnesota 
Bradford to Arizona
Bridgewater to NYJ

McCarron is the odd man out if Buffalo doesn’t make a move.

It might make sense for the Browns to go after him as a placeholder while a rookie learns the NFL game.

[Uncle Buck]

If I were Teddy Bridgewater, I'd talk to Arizona and see if I could follow Bradford out there and sign on as his backup.  Chances are high that Sam won't finish the season, and if he doesn't, he could very well end up retiring.  If, or more likely when, Bradford goes down, Teddy can make his claim on that starting spot and he's home free. 

Another factor is the weather.  Even though both teams play outdoors, Arizona isn't as windy as what he would encounter on the East Coast, and Teddy doesn't exactly have a cannon for an arm to throw through that wind.  That wouldn't be near as much of a problem in AZ.  Teddy is from South Florida, so the weather would be much more like what he is used to in Arizona than in the cold of New York.  

I know he probably wants to transition into a starting role right away, but it might not hurt to have a little extra time to rehab that knee and wait for his chance with the Cardinals.

[Kmart128]

3 hours ago, Uncle Buck said:

It might make sense for the Browns to go after him as a placeholder while a rookie learns the NFL game.

Isn't that what Tyrod Taylor is for?

[Uncle Buck]

1 minute ago, marshawn lynch said:

Isn't that what Tyrod Taylor is for?

You're right.  I forgot about Taylor.  My mistake. 

[JaguarCrazy2832]

1 minute ago, marshawn lynch said:

Isn't that what Tyrod Taylor is for?

I would assume so. Is Tyrod a FA soon? AJ might still take backup money there. Maybe Cleveland doesnt draft a QB at all

[Tugboat]

22 minutes ago, JaguarCrazy2832 said:

I would assume so. Is Tyrod a FA soon? AJ might still take backup money there. Maybe Cleveland doesnt draft a QB at all

They also have Cody Kessler there, right?  So they've already got a decent enough clipboard holder probably.

Having the 1st and 4th picks in a draft, along with all their other various draft capital (even after the Tyrod and Landry deals), and not using that opportunity to secure your actual QB of the Future...would be so dumb.  I think Tyrod gets more hate here than he probably deserves, but he is what he is...and he's very limited.  He's not the long-term answer there.  They've gotta go get a guy.  It's the first time in a long time that they've actually potentially set themselves up to sit a guy properly, and let them actually get that redshirt year.  With Tyrod a competent, if underwhelming starter.  Kessler presumably a serviceable backup if you do have to go to that.  You could actually legitimately sit a guy for the year (which is exceedingly rare these days).

[Iamcanadian]

8 hours ago, Shylo3716 said:

Aside from the on field play, I’m just trying to figure out how no one else has received one prior to him.

You have to be willing to play with a franchise tag rather than sign a long term contract. Of course, the NFL is a brutal league where serious injuries occur all the time. If Cousins had been injured, he might not have made another dime in pro football, he took the high risk and it payed off for him. Few NFL players are prepared to take that risk, especially QB's who are hit an awful lot.

I doubt you see a rush to hold out and not sign a long term deal, in a sport where careers are short due to injuries, because if you do not have a long term contract, you can end up making nothing once you get injured and almost all professional athletes will avoid that possibility by signing a long term contract.

[Iamcanadian]

1 hour ago, Uncle Buck said:

If I were Teddy Bridgewater, I'd talk to Arizona and see if I could follow Bradford out there and sign on as his backup.  Chances are high that Sam won't finish the season, and if he doesn't, he could very well end up retiring.  If, or more likely when, Bradford goes down, Teddy can make his claim on that starting spot and he's home free. 

Another factor is the weather.  Even though both teams play outdoors, Arizona isn't as windy as what he would encounter on the East Coast, and Teddy doesn't exactly have a cannon for an arm to throw through that wind.  That wouldn't be near as much of a problem in AZ.  Teddy is from South Florida, so the weather would be much more like what he is used to in Arizona than in the cold of New York.  

I know he probably wants to transition into a starting role right away, but it might not hurt to have a little extra time to rehab that knee and wait for his chance with the Cardinals.

I agree, Teddy should consider playing in a dome or in warm weather, where his arm will not be affected by the weather, however, few athletes are prepared to wait to play and Arizona already gave Bradford 20 million and likely cannot afford Teddy.

[Iamcanadian]

22 minutes ago, Tugboat said:

They also have Cody Kessler there, right?  So they've already got a decent enough clipboard holder probably.

Having the 1st and 4th picks in a draft, along with all their other various draft capital (even after the Tyrod and Landry deals), and not using that opportunity to secure your actual QB of the Future...would be so dumb.  I think Tyrod gets more hate here than he probably deserves, but he is what he is...and he's very limited.  He's not the long-term answer there.  They've gotta go get a guy.  It's the first time in a long time that they've actually potentially set themselves up to sit a guy properly, and let them actually get that redshirt year.  With Tyrod a competent, if underwhelming starter.  Kessler presumably a serviceable backup if you do have to go to that.  You could actually legitimately sit a guy for the year (which is exceedingly rare these days).

I doubt the QB they draft will get a year, I expect him to be starting by game 7 or 8, which has become the normal training period for a rookie QB, unless they start from day 1.

A couple of losses and the fan base will be screaming for the rookie QB and I seriously doubt Cleveland will be able to resist more than 7 or 8 games, before we see him starting.