2021 Off-Season Thread

[TheLeviathan]

 

I don’t see much upside in Wentz anymore. I can envision a scenario where Wentz clearly doesn’t have it, and the Colts are still in the playoff race. Just like last year with a cooked to a crisp Phil Rivers.

 

They had absolutely nothing on that offense last year and he overdid it for sure.  He absolutely could be beyond repair, but maybe he was just part of a complete s* show and he fell apart.

[nicksaviking]

They had absolutely nothing on that offense last year and he overdid it for sure.  He absolutely could be beyond repair, but maybe he was just part of a complete s* show and he fell apart.

Yeah if he can’t be repaired it’s a mental thing, because physically he still looked really talented. Seemed like the offense was lacking nearly every starter early in the year and Wentz had make some crazy but extremely risky plays to keep the team in the games. By the time that finally caught up to him, it might have been tough to shift gears to be more conservative.

[Vanimal46]

I think the opposite, actually. He looked broken physically. That dude’s already taken a ton of hits and multiple surgeries on his knee and shoulder. Then he started seeing ghosts once his entire OL got injured.

[Mike Sixel]

I think the opposite, actually. He looked broken physically. That dude’s already taken a ton of hits and multiple surgeries on his knee and shoulder. Then he started seeing ghosts once his entire OL got injured.

Concur

[TheLeviathan]

 

I think the opposite, actually. He looked broken physically. That dude’s already taken a ton of hits and multiple surgeries on his knee and shoulder. Then he started seeing ghosts once his entire OL got injured.

 

He does have some serious physical concerns, he hasn't looked right since he went down during their Super Bowl run.  But I can't hold last year against him when he has no OL and no WRs to throw to.  Being panicked in the pocket when you are getting hit like he was is justifiable IMO.  He wasn't Ponder without cause, that line made ours look like all-stars.

 

Of the available QBs, there is still a chance MVP Wentz is hiding behind all that misfortune.  With Stafford gone, I don't see anyone else who touches that upside. (Watson, but there are only a few teams with the capital to pull that move) If he is truly a physical mess and breaks down....they gave up a second for the chance at the last, most important, piece to their puzzle.

 

I can't fault a team for that kind of aggression, at that price, for that position. If it fails it was still worth the swing.

[Vanimal46]

Circle March 19th on your calendar. If Kirk is still a Viking, his 2022 $35 million salary, and $45 million cap hit is fully guaranteed.

[nicksaviking]

 

Circle March 19th on your calendar. If Kirk is still a Viking, his 2022 $35 million salary, and $45 million cap hit is fully guaranteed.

 

I could see Houston and their complete incompetence screwing the Vikings. Seems to me interest in Cousins might not pivot until all the losers of the Deshaun Watson auction come away crying. 

 

Watson could help the Vikings out by not only reiterating that he wants out, but by also being clear which destinations he won't accept a trade to. 

[Vanimal46]

 

I could see Houston and their complete incompetence screwing the Vikings. Seems to me interest in Cousins might not pivot until all the losers of the Deshaun Watson auction come away crying. 

 

Watson could help the Vikings out by not only reiterating that he wants out, but by also being clear which destinations he won't accept a trade to. 

 

Watson's short list of teams he would approve a trade to is NYJ, MIA, and Carolina. I think by now teams like SF, DEN, etc. know they are out of the running and transitioned to other targets. Hell, I just read today that SF asked about Teddy Bridgewater. Not trading Kirk Cousins this winter will end up being the biggest mistake they could make. I hope it's not the Wilfs holding us back from making a move like this. 

[nicksaviking]

I guess the Wilfs could be holding them back, but assuming they're probably more tied into the business side of things, I'd have to think they see that regardless of how decent he has been, Cousin's isn't exactly selling a bunch of jerseys. I'd think out of the three main factions, the Wilfs, the GM and the head coach, ownership would be most interested in getting a hot new young QB to move the needle and to market as the face of the franchise.

[Danchat]

Rudolph has been cut, saving about $5M on the cap. All in all, he was given a 4 year extension just to be cast aside after year 1, costing the Vikings about $14M over 2020 and 2021. This puts the Vikings around -$2M to -$3M in cap space under current projections.

[TheLeviathan]

I am generally a fan of this FO, but their drunken bender of extensions last year made zero sense then and even less sense now.

[Vanimal46]

Rudolph is no doubt a phenomenal person off the field. It would be fun to see him land in Arizona and see what happens. The Cardinals haven’t had a good TE in... ever?

[TheLeviathan]

 

Rudolph is no doubt a phenomenal person off the field. It would be fun to see him land in Arizona and see what happens. The Cardinals haven’t had a good TE in... ever?

 

Ever is the correct answer.  They've had as many great TEs as the Twins have had playoff runs in our lifetime.

[nicksaviking]

David Boston was a pretty good TE for awhile.

 

*Googles David Boston*

 

Oh wait, he's still just a WR, just the size of a TE.

[Musk21]

Rumors are that Rudolph could reunite with Stefanski in Cleveland. Patriots are also interested.

 

[Mike Sixel]

 

I am generally a fan of this FO, but their drunken bender of extensions last year made zero sense then and even less sense now.

 

100% this. Add trading a 2nd for a DE in a year you weren't all that good to begin with.....

[nicksaviking]

For me the worst part is that there's enough young talent on the team that a rebuild could be a very quick proposition. Also, most of those vets aren't really contributing anymore. If you keep all the expensive vets you're looking at perhaps saving a playoff spot with a 9-7, maybe 10-6 record. You dump them, maybe you're a 7-9 team at best. But with the extra cap room, and the better picks in 2022 you might be right back in contention.

 

[TheLeviathan]

 

For me the worst part is that there's enough young talent on the team that a rebuild could be a very quick proposition. Also, most of those vets aren't really contributing anymore. If you keep all the expensive vets you're looking at perhaps saving a playoff spot with a 9-7, maybe 10-6 record. You dump them, maybe you're a 7-9 team at best. But with the extra cap room, and the better picks in 2022 you might be right back in contention.

 

Exactly, it was evident this team does have a young core they could make a run with.  Saddling themselves with all that baggage gave them no flexibility and made their cap situation worse.

 

Last year should have been a "prove it" year and then you move on if you need to.  If I'm remembering correctly, prior to the extension for Cousins, he would've been able to be moved with almost no dead cap money hits.  Ditto Barr and Rudolph.  

 

It was a devastatingly stupid bunch of decisions from a team that is generally among the best at managing these sorts of things.

[Danchat]

Dak Prescott just got $160M over 4 years from the Cowboys! $126M guaranteed. Yikes! Good luck trying to add pieces around him while he's taking up that much of your cap. The Cowboys' roster is pretty bad and I don't think this is a good move for them. But teams are so afraid to move on from their current QB that they'll pay whatever crazy price to keep them around.

[nicksaviking]

I wonder if this is going to keep happening with QBs or if teams are going to start treating them like RBs 10-15 years ago. The elite RBs still got paid, but even the really good ones started taking huge pay cuts once teams started realizing it wasn't worth crippling their cap space if he wasn't quite good enough to carry the team.

 

 

[Vanimal46]

Dak had all of the leverage on ol’ Jerr Bear. The cap better explode in the next couple of years or else the Cowboys will be Dak, overpaid Zeke, and scrubs making close to the vet/rookie minimum.

[TheLeviathan]

I don't see how QB market ever becomes like the RB market.  For one, RBs play from day one and usually very well.  Two, they burn out much, much quicker.  Three, high level play is much more replaceable.  

 

But, yeah, having an elite QB requires a GM and a system that can replace the other parts at cheaper prices.  Still, I think the days where you can win without elite QB play are gone.  You either have one and you're in the mix or you're not in the mix.

[Mike Sixel]

If I was in the union.....I'd push for a max size contract for an individual.....so the money is more spread out. But then, I'm not an uber competitive athlete.....

[TheLeviathan]

 

If I was in the union.....I'd push for a max size contract for an individual.....so the money is more spread out. But then, I'm not an uber competitive athlete.....

 

I could be wrong, but wasn't this a tactic the NFL used just recently and caused a stir with guys like Rodgers versus the lunchpail NFL player?  The NFL tried to create a wedge using that very issue.

 

It makes a lot of sense if you aren't Rodgers or Dak or Mahomes.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I could be wrong, but wasn't this a tactic the NFL used just recently and caused a stir with guys like Rodgers versus the lunchpail NFL player?  The NFL tried to create a wedge using that very issue.

 

It makes a lot of sense if you aren't Rodgers or Dak or Mahomes.

 

Right? There are only a few QBs.....less than 1-2% of NFL players get PAID. 

 

As for Dak and Kirk......well, the Vikes were a Very Good team pre-Kirk, so that made sense (the first time), at least relative to the options. The Cowboys are further away, so not sure this makes sense. 

[nicksaviking]

 

Right? There are only a few QBs.....less than 1-2% of NFL players get PAID. 

 

As for Dak and Kirk......well, the Vikes were a Very Good team pre-Kirk, so that made sense (the first time), at least relative to the options. The Cowboys are further away, so not sure this makes sense. 

 

It might have made some sense if Dak didn't also get a no trade clause AND get the Cowboys to ceremonially Franchise Tag him. With a rebound season he could have been fantastic trade bait if the Cowboys stunk as expected. Now, nope.

[gunnarthor]

Vikes cut Bailey, not a big surprise.

 

Honest question, when was the last time you felt comfortable about a MN kicker? 

[Mike Sixel]

 

Vikes cut Bailey, not a big surprise.

 

Honest question, when was the last time you felt comfortable about a MN kicker? 

 

Pre-Spielman.....like the OL.....

[Danchat]

 

Vikes cut Bailey, not a big surprise.

 

Honest question, when was the last time you felt comfortable about a MN kicker? 

Longwell was the last kicker I trusted. 

[TheLeviathan]

Longwell and Gary Anderson.  

 

But, truth be told, the Vikings kickers aren't bad compared to the rest of the league statistically over the years.  Just heart wrenching timing.....