2022 Offseason Discussion - moves, stats, pressers, misc.

My biggest question about Hunter remains what he wants in an extension. I see everyone falling back on the just restructure his contract as the solution. He’s got a very team friendly deal(seems to be common with him!). Regardless of what we do with the roster to signing bonus conversion, to my knowledge he is still only going to make 5.5 million dollars in cash(not cap hit) in 2023. That screams the need for a real extension or holdout type situation. He’s a great player. The only one good enough and young enough on our defense to build around. But there is a big contract coming sooner than later.

What if a Cousins extension had an aav of 30m over say 4 years with about 90 of that guaranteed? Maybe with a void year or two and it freed up a decent chunk of cap room for at least the next two years. Would you be happy? Or could you live with it at least? In other words, would you change your feelings about him if he actually did take a 'discount' to stay? I put discount in quotes because it's all relative.

It's a great question - it's just somewhat difficult to put an avg-per-season amount on that question because you don't know at what price point you can sign some key free agents. There are plenty of holes to fill on this roster and a Cousins extension essentially means you're keeping the current "window" open (like the team believed in the 2020 offseason) and at what point does the contract become constrictive on the team's ability to put the proper talent around him? 

We know Cousins isn't the Top 5/10 improvise-type QB that Mahomes, Rodgers, Allen, Herbert, Watson, Burrow and R Wilson are and a Cousins extension is in-line with the Rams/Stafford strategy - surrounding a solid starting QB with great talent (more of a entire team-based approach vs a HOF-QB approach) so the Vikings need to build that solid team around him: the IOL, a better overall DL and a solid secondary with at least 1 "star" - the only part they don't need to add is the offensive weapons. While it's possible to hit "home runs" in the Drafts in 2022/2023 and find some of those pieces, thee Draft is such a lottery that it's hard to bank on that, and the Vikings don't have a glut of early-rd Draft picks to trade with other teams to fill in those holes, either. 

...and keep in mind that as you get into 2023 & 2024, some of the current players on rookie contracts will be on their more expensive 2nd contracts (Jefferson, Cleveland, Darrisaw) and Hunter will be more expensive due to his extension because keeping him is almost a "must" if we're extending Kirk to keep this window open. 

You could say the avg-per-season price point for extending Kirk and remaining competitive is the same price-point the Rams had w/ Stafford (which is close to $21m per season for '21 & '22), but then the Rams already had a solid OL, solid DL and a solid secondary with offensive weapons in-place, which is something the Vikings don't currently have. 

Just thinking through it, I'm not sure there is a "realistic" price point Kirk could be extended for that would allow the team to fill in all the missing holes, not to mention it's not realistic to think he'd sign for $30m per-season when he averaged $33m per-season with his last extension and the team has a "rookie" front office and coaching staff, as well. 

Well, if Cousins is the QB, based on ample size, we will be .500...if it makes you feel better, he will pass for 4000 yard and 30 TDs.

I get the sense that he plays more for his own personal benefit and not for the team.

I think this statement is indisputable. Cousins doesn't buy into the idea that "there is no " I" in team".

He as much as said it. "I go where the read takes me." The sheer unwillingness to take chances is so blatant in this statement. Winners take chances. Force feed the ball to their Alpha Wide Receiver. Kirk is perfectly comfortable checking down on 3rd and long every drive except when the Game is on the line. He knows that's when he's under the most scrutiny and that's when he actually gets aggressive.

Sure, when the OC gives him a roll-out bomb option he's going to take it. But we've all seem him roll out, have all day and ultimately hit Ham or Conklin for 6 yards too. Or when Thielen or JJ just get wide open. Which they do a lot.

But how often do we see him just rip one into those guys when they're covered? All the Tier 1 guys do it. sh*t, half the Tier 2 guys do it. And Kirk's arm is plenty strong enough.

It's the 'take no chances' mindset, which is Me First instead of Team First that is so frustrating.