2022 QB Options: Supply vs. Demand (Keep Kirk!)

It really seems hard to predict QB right now. Do we end up with a HC who loves Cousins, or one eager to draft his own guy immediately? Even predicting the potential market for Cousins is tough with multiple HC openings and playoff results yet to come.

I do wonder if teams considering a trade for Cousins are influenced by the results of the Stafford trade - which, IMO, is still a bit undecided. Has he pushed them to a higher level or not??

Sure Cousins "avoids pressure", but I dont need a chart to tell me hes not physically avoiding them. Hes throwing the ball away or getting it out quick for a 2 yard gain. Which dont get me wrong it isnt a bad thing at all, sacks are drive killers. Watch Burrow play that is avoiding sacks and making plays which is a hell of a lot more useful. The Oline doesnt help dont get me wrong I wont give Kirk a knock for this but I dont want to see this used as a positive if you have actually watched the Vikings the last 4 years. Im seriously concerned if someone is trying to compare Kirk to Josh Allen in "avoiding sacks" as a positive. The Kirk stat guys kill me.

But how many of those are deep shots because the planning, coaching, playing puts us in deep holes and then we need to start passing a lot and getting bomb happy to score points pronto? Its why the bomb stats are good, but what's the context of the bomb stats? Because I don't think its we have the right plan and coaching and playing and the lead and now we're just pouring it on and putting the opponents to the test and racking up the points and running up the score.

Interesting question if Big plays were just garbage time.  I looked at the longest pass play for each game.  Of the longest pass play in each of Cousins 16 games I counted:
1 - garbage time stat padding (Seahawks)
1 - could be classified as hopeless comeback attempt (Rams), although cutting a lead to a 1 score game in the 3rd still has value.
14 - were critical to Vikings wins or improved their chances in a loss

There would be other plays that would be above average.  Here is a recap of the Longest plays from each game if you'd like to decide for yourself:

Bengals: 34 Yards to Thielen - to the 1 yard line to set up a game tying TD.

Cardinals: 64 Yards to Osborn - 2nd play to take an early lead

Seahawks: 28 Yards Jefferson -later Q3, up by 10, little meaning. (Although the Q2 26 yarder to Jefferson was instrumental in cutting a Seahawk lead from 10 to 3)

Browns: 31 Yards to Osborn - on the final drive down by 7.

Lions: 37 Yards to Jefferson – Opening drive, down 3

Panthers: 40 Yards – Conklin broke a short pass long with Vikings up 8 (not really a deep pass), But the 27 Yard shot to Osborn was pretty meaningful and the 35 yard pass to Thielen extended the lead from 1 to 8.

Cowboys: 32 Yards to Thielen – part of a drive that extended a lead from 7-3 to 10-3

Ravens: 50 yards to Jefferson – Big TD that gave the Vikings an early lead.

Chargers: 27 yards to Jefferson – Part of critical Q3 drive that swung the game from trailing to leading

Packers: 56 Yards to Jefferson – Set up Vikings opening TD

49ers: 30 Yards to Jefferson – Part of drive that game Vikings a 14-7 lead

Lions: 48 Yards to Jefferson – Part of TD drive that cut the lead from 11-5 (Vikings later took a lead and then gave it up)

Steelers: 62 Yards to Osborn – Extended the lead and was a dagger that slowed a Steelers comeback

Bears: 18 Yards to Jefferson – Not really deep, but was part of 1st Vikings TD drive

Rams: 34 Yards to Jefferson – Part of FG drive that cut the lead to 20-13 in Q3

Packers: N/A

Bears: 45 Yards to Jefferson / 44 yards to Smith-Marsette – Part of 2 drive series that swung the game from 10-17 deficit to 24-17 lead

Let's dissect this.

I will agree that the Bills, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, Chargers, Cowboys, Cardinals and Rams could be considered "set" (unless happens)

That's 8 out of 32, or 25%. To say that the Jets, Jaguars, Bears and 49ers are "set" is a joke. The fact that you've spent Mega draft capital on a shiny new QB doesn't mean . It means that you bought a very expensive lottery ticket that pays off about 1 in 10 times. I would argue that we are more "set" because it is highly likely that we will again extend Kirk and he has consistently high performance. (ducking)

You're probably right. As a few of us have observed, that is just a really poorly written article. Of course, I remember when such articles claimed that the Cardinals were "set" at QB because they had drafted Rosen in the first round the year prior. How did that work out?

Sure, but I watched Rosen for 16 weeks and the Cardinals drafting Murray was anything but "ŭn-līk′lē".