Cousins Extended

[CharVike]

Harrison Smith restructures. I thought he was going to be cut.
Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Vikings have restructured the contract of safety Harrison Smith. The move gives them $6 million worth of cap room, which they needed to make the deals they’ve agreed with over the past couple of days official.
Harry stays for less. Better than getting cut and making zero. See they all like money.

[Cliff]

Harrison Smith restructures. I thought he was going to be cut.
Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Vikings have restructured the contract of safety Harrison Smith. The move gives them $6 million worth of cap room, which they needed to make the deals they’ve agreed with over the past couple of days official.
Harry stays for less. Better than getting cut and making zero. See they all like money.

What in the world makes you think he'd make zero if he were cut?

Plus, he didn't actually take any less:

Smith was due an $8 million roster bonus on Friday. The Vikings turned that into a signing bonus and spread $2 million of it over each of the remaining four years on Smith’s contract. That reduced Smith’s cap number in 2022 from $13.407 million to $7.407 million.

I'm not sure why a roster bonus impacts the cap but a signing bonus doesn't. Smith was able to help the team save cap space while not taking any less money himself. Now, he could have had 2 million more dollars *right now* with the roster bonus instead of spread out over 2 years but he was willing to backload the money for the team.

[CharVike]

So Cam Newton is the guy. He's a walking billboard. Always has some slogan to make some extra money. Last year it was the "I'm Back" mantra looking for a few dollars and publicity. IMO who cares if you are back. Play some football and be back for good. Problem is he's a gimmick player. He'll sign with any team. Doesn't care if they are a winner or a loser. But it's a paycheck and he can chant another mantra I'm Back Again for Good or some other BS. Is that what will draw you? Or do you like Kirk's "Take That" better? I don't even know what you mean by toughness. The guy plays game in and game out. Does that show nothing? His ribs where F upped last year and he still played. He didn't wuss out and ribs trying to throw isn't easy. So call him a wuss and has zero toughness. I don't think that's the case. He plays the game when the whistle blows. If you think any of these players aren't tough I think your wrong. They all takes shots and have been doing it since pee wee. The people who lack toughness never make it to the top of this sport. When he was a backup he said the following.
Kirk Cousins, backup quarterback for the Washington Redskins, said he would welcome an openly gay teammate and try and lead him to Jesus, saying, "nobody's perfect."
That's about as loose as you can be. IMO it was to loose.

Yes! Absolutely. I love Cam Newton. That's exactly what I'm talking about! I bet he would accept gay teammates too!

Cam's always available. You need to wait for him and his pres people to create a new slogan for his return. That should take about 15 minutes.

[CharVike]

Harrison Smith restructures. I thought he was going to be cut.
Per Field Yates of ESPN, the Vikings have restructured the contract of safety Harrison Smith. The move gives them $6 million worth of cap room, which they needed to make the deals they’ve agreed with over the past couple of days official.
Harry stays for less. Better than getting cut and making zero. See they all like money.

What in the world makes you think he'd make zero if he were cut?

Plus, he didn't actually take any less:

Smith was due an $8 million roster bonus on Friday. The Vikings turned that into a signing bonus and spread $2 million of it over each of the remaining four years on Smith’s contract. That reduced Smith’s cap number in 2022 from $13.407 million to $7.407 million.

I'm not sure why a roster bonus impacts the cap but a signing bonus doesn't. Smith was able to help the team save cap space while not taking any less money himself. Now, he could have had 2 million more dollars *right now* with the roster bonus instead of spread out over 2 years but he was willing to backload the money for the team.

I'm not a capologist and don't know much about it and don't really care to. If a signing bonus doesn't count then no team will ever be in CAP trouble. Something like a voidable year. That's why teams employee people to understand this stuff down to the finest detail. I'm sure there are more loopholes that haven't been used by any team yet. I assume if a player is cut they are no longer getting paid. But I'm sure it's deeper than my limited understanding. I just posted the news with a stupid comment. Sorry for the confusion. I would actually just move on from him. I like speed. It is what it is.

[808vikingsfan]

2016: $19.9M fully guaranteed
2017: $23.9M fully guaranteed
2018: $26M fully guaranteed
2019: $28M fully guaranteed
2020: $40M fully guaranteed
2021: $21M fully guaranteed
2022: $30M fully guaranteed
2023: $40M fully guaranteed.



Rich Eisen on extending Cousins

[cmoss84]

Couple things here...

1) If we were to trade Cousins at this point, who is involved and what are we getting back? It looks like Atlanta is getting a 3rd from Indy for Ryan, and supposedly, someone offered 2 2nds for Jimmy G. Not saying it is likely we trade Kirk, just wanted to look at the possibilities. Maybe we would be able to fetch a 2nd and 3rd?

NY Jets
Seahawks
Atlanta (although this wouldn't make a whole lot of sense)
Miami
Carolina
Browns (Baker)
Houston
NY Giants
Steelers

2) If we were to flip Kirk for a 2nd or any combination of picks, how much do you think it would cost to pry Huntley away from Baltimore? Would you make a trade for him or go in another direction?

[StumpHunter]

Couple things here...

1) If we were to trade Cousins at this point, who is involved and what are we getting back? It looks like Atlanta is getting a 3rd from Indy for Ryan, and supposedly, someone offered 2 2nds for Jimmy G. Not saying it is likely we trade Kirk, just wanted to look at the possibilities. Maybe we would be able to fetch a 2nd and 3rd?

NY Jets
Seahawks
Atlanta (although this wouldn't make a whole lot of sense)
Miami
Carolina
Browns (Baker)
Houston
NY Giants
Steelers

2) If we were to flip Kirk for a 2nd or any combination of picks, how much do you think it would cost to pry Huntley away from Baltimore? Would you make a trade for him or go in another direction?

His contract is now tradeable at what would essentially be 2 years, 45 million hit (so just 10 million more than prior to the extension, but spread out over two years), but it wouldn't be for much, and trading him would actually cost 4 million in cap this year.

We are now hearing reports that these teams that were supposedly interested in Cousins had absolutely no interest, including the Browns who are coached by Cousins' former QB coach and OC, and the Carolina Panthers, who have Sam Darnold at QB.

https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2022/ ... ins-trade/

The extension on its surface, knowing that no teams actually want to give up a lot to get Kirk as their QB, seems pretty stupid, but I think when Kwesi saw that he was stuck with paying 45 million to a QB no team coveted and realized he wasn't likely going to be able to draft a replacement this year, he went the safe route and ensured he would at least have an option at QB in 2023. Still pretty stupid, since Kirk's value is only going to continue to decline as this team goes its third straight season without making the playoffs, but I sort of understand why he would do it. Sort of.

[J. Kapp 11]

I'm not sure why a roster bonus impacts the cap but a signing bonus doesn't. Smith was able to help the team save cap space while not taking any less money himself. Now, he could have had 2 million more dollars *right now* with the roster bonus instead of spread out over 2 years but he was willing to backload the money for the team.

Because of NFL rules.

A signing bonus can be spread out over the life of the contract for cap purposes, but a roster bonus can't. NFL rules make a roster bonus like an AmEx card (or at least how it used to be) — you have to pay it off completely when the bill comes due. Can't carry a balance. A signing bonus is like a Visa card — you can pay it off over time, in equal payments over the life of the contract, which is convenient but will cost you until it's paid off.

It kind of makes sense. A roster bonus is paid because you're on the roster (you made the team). So the bonus is paid by whichever roster the player is on.

This is exactly why teams agree to a roster bonus — so they can convert it later to a signing bonus, if they need to, for cap flexibility. Also, a roster bonus is transferred in a trade, whereas a signing bonus isn't. So if you think you might want the flexibility to trade the guy, you give him a roster bonus.

As for the player, it doesn't matter. Roster or signing, when the bonus is due, he gets his money that season. So Harrison Smith actually does get all his money in 2022. But the team can account for it for cap purposes over the life of his contract.

Danielle Hunter is the same way. He has four years left on his deal. He had an $18 million roster bonus that vested on March 20. The Vikings can spread that out for cap purposes over the four years left on his deal — $4.5 million each year. But Danielle still gets all the money up front, whenever it's due (I think it's June, but don't quote me on that).

[Foreman44]

Foreman44..Maybe talking crazy here,

How much of this decision was forced on them. Cousins can play football, win games when a defense plays. But will he be the man if you are down 17 points and have to put the team upon his back. Like Brady,Rodgers, Russell, Mahones, etc.. I don’t think so.

How much was forced on the Vikings when Denver signed Russell. I believe talk of Washington having interest. But they are out. Watson a ? Mark. Maybe Indianapolis?
Maybe they felt Couples is there best shot, like it or not.
Maybe nothing I said makes sense.

We definitely need to fix our o line, and build a solid defense

Did he get lucky one game.

He might get a team ther. But he needs a lot. He has the b and
Receivers.

But IMO needs a top 5 offensive line, and probably at minimum top 5 defensive unit



I

The Vikings trailed 20-7 early in the fourth quarter before Cousins showed his moxie at Lambeau.

He hit Diggs for a 3-yard touchdown to pull the Vikings within one score. Then, after a Green Bay field goal Cousins aired out a 75-yard touchdown to Diggs, which was the sixth-longest touchdown pass of his career and the longest of Diggs' career.

"I think I could've gotten more into it," said Cousins when asked if the heave was as far as he could throw a football. "I think what was impressive about that play was finishing. If he gets tackled there or is short, who knows if we come away with a field goal or a touchdown.

Minnesota later trailed 29-21 with 1:45 left before Cousins orchestrated a game-tying, 75-yard drive in the clutch.

The series ended with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Thielen on a perfect throw from Cousins, who then found Diggs for the 2-point conversion. The haters will call a 22 yard TD pass Mr Check down.

That set up overtime, where Cousins completed seven of nine passes for 85 yards. He twice led the Vikings down the field to get in field goal range, but Minnesota missed both attempts.

There is your comeback. Mr Check down can complete some long passes. He played well in OT but as usual we had a kicker who couldn't make a kick when it would have given us the win. I've seen that happen before (Anderson) and after. That's part of our franchise history. ST need to play ball also.