NFL Playoffs/Early Offseason

[Danchat]

16 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

The Giants are a stable organization though. And if Dart is above average, that could be a good team. If I was the top coach on the market, that's where I'd go.

Probably a good thing after all that the Jets didn't fire Glen. Them, Cleveland AND Arizona trying to hire coaches? Man, talk about throwing your career away. I'd throw LV into that group too, but it will have some attraction since Brady is there. Him not doing anything will wear thin real fast though.

They have quite a few good players to build around and a quality coach could flip that team around rather quickly. I'd argue it is easily the best job available.

[Vanimal46]

38 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Cousins contact restructured. Will almost certainly be a free agent before the draft now. 

March 13th deadline which they will probably release him at that time... My question is, if the Vikings go back to Kirk, is he the week 1 starter for 2026? We already know he's the type of guy who will run the offense exactly how KOC wants... 

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, The Great Hambino said:

Fun fact: the Vikings ranked 27th in cap salary lost to reserve lists in 2025.  Every team lower than them made the playoffs

What a coaching job by Shanahan.

[TheLeviathan]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

March 13th deadline which they will probably release him at that time... My question is, if the Vikings go back to Kirk, is he the week 1 starter for 2026? We already know he's the type of guy who will run the offense exactly how KOC wants... 

If they do...they've given up on McCarthy.  

This would firmly plant for me that this team cares more about not winning 3 games than they do about winning a Super Bowl.  

[gunnarthor]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

March 13th deadline which they will probably release him at that time... My question is, if the Vikings go back to Kirk, is he the week 1 starter for 2026? We already know he's the type of guy who will run the offense exactly how KOC wants... 

If they sign Cousins, it would be as a backup. I'm not sure if someone will still think of Cousins as a starter. We'll see.

[gunnarthor]

Washington fired Kliff Kingsbury, their offensive coordinator. 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47528237/sources-kingsbury-whitt-commanders-coordinators

I love KOC but I want the Vikings to bring in another voice on offense. I don't really care who or how but just someone outside the McVay tree to bring in different thoughts. Kingsbury could be an interesting choice. He helped make Murray look good and Mayfield in college (IIRC). He's pass happy, like KOC, but has run slightly different formations. Might be an interesting person to bring in.

[nicksaviking]

2 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

March 13th deadline which they will probably release him at that time... My question is, if the Vikings go back to Kirk, is he the week 1 starter for 2026? We already know he's the type of guy who will run the offense exactly how KOC wants... 

I think there's zero chance Cousins willingly goes anywhere that doesn't make him the week 1 starter. I can't see him willingly 'battle' for a starting job while watching someone like Jacoby Brissett or Marcus Mariota or Carson Wentz land a sure thing.

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, gunnarthor said:

If they sign Cousins, it would be as a backup. I'm not sure if someone will still think of Cousins as a starter. We'll see.

There aren't enough starters for 32 teams. If you're one of the seven or so teams that need a QB and can't get Daniel Jones, don't trust Kyler Murray or can't trade for Mac Jones (still don't buy into him) Cousins is going to look pretty good when compared to what's left.

[Vanimal46]

2 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I think there's zero chance Cousins willingly goes anywhere that doesn't make him the week 1 starter. I can't see him willingly 'battle' for a starting job while watching someone like Jacoby Brissett or Marcus Mariota or Carson Wentz land a sure thing.

Agreed. He will have a couple of choices to be the week 1 starter, but the teams will be terrible. I’m thinking Arizona when they move on from Murray, Miami when they move on from Tua, NYJ, Cleveland… 

I wouldn’t be surprised if KOC wants to go back to the comfortable veteran like Kirko Chainz 

[Danchat]

I'm not convinced Kirk will have a lot of options to be a starter, I think teams will view him as a bridge QB or a good backup. He's going to be 38 and his completion rate and Y/A took a massive drop-off down from his already questionable 2024 season. 

[gunnarthor]

52 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

There aren't enough starters for 32 teams. If you're one of the seven or so teams that need a QB and can't get Daniel Jones, don't trust Kyler Murray or can't trade for Mac Jones (still don't buy into him) Cousins is going to look pretty good when compared to what's left.

Yeah, I'm not sure how this will play out but I'm pretty comfortable that if the Vikings get him, it's as a backup. I think I agree with Danchat that teams will look elsewhere before him. But I also don't know all the openings and I haven't looked at the QB FA list either.

[TheLeviathan]

57 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I'm not convinced Kirk will have a lot of options to be a starter, I think teams will view him as a bridge QB or a good backup. He's going to be 38 and his completion rate and Y/A took a massive drop-off down from his already questionable 2024 season. 

A bridge QB is still a starter.  If the Cardinals sign him it is to start week 1.

Why would Cousins come here to hold a clipboard if an option to start exists for him?  Like Nick has been saying, there are simply too many open jobs and not enough competent dudes for him to settle for a backup role IMO.

[The Great Hambino]

10 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

A bridge QB is still a starter.  If the Cardinals sign him it is to start week 1.

Why would Cousins come here to hold a clipboard if an option to start exists for him?  Like Nick has been saying, there are simply too many open jobs and not enough competent dudes for him to settle for a backup role IMO.

It's possible that at this stage of his career and after the Brinks truck he received from Atlanta, Kirk might be willing to trade off the guarantee of Day 1 starter status for a more realistic shot at a ring.  If he limits himself strictly to places that will guarantee he's the starter, he's going to retire ringless.

Personally, I don't think he has that mindset.  But it's possible.

I don't think being a bridge starter would be much of a limiting factor since he's definitely year-to-year at this point of his career.  His days of multi-year guarantees are likely over

[TheLeviathan]

Harbaugh out in Baltimore

[TheLeviathan]

1 minute ago, The Great Hambino said:

It's possible that at this stage of his career and after the Brinks truck he received from Atlanta, Kirk might be willing to trade off the guarantee of Day 1 starter status for a more realistic shot at a ring.  If he limits himself strictly to places that will guarantee he's the starter, he's going to retire ringless.

Personally, I don't think he has that mindset.  But it's possible.

I don't think being a bridge starter would be much of a limiting factor since he's definitely year-to-year at this point of his career.  His days of multi-year guarantees are likely over

I agree about his mindset.  To me it's about how are the Vikings presenting the job and I think any presentation of "full stop.  You're a backup paid like a backup" is a lesser job than Cousins will have on the table.

If the Vikings bill it as a 1A/1B, true competition?  We've given up on JJ IMO.

[nicksaviking]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

Agreed. He will have a couple of choices to be the week 1 starter, but the teams will be terrible. I’m thinking Arizona when they move on from Murray, Miami when they move on from Tua, NYJ, Cleveland… 

I wouldn’t be surprised if KOC wants to go back to the comfortable veteran like Kirko Chainz 

AZ has awful ownership, but great offensive weapons. Trey McBride just gave Jacoby Brissett a career best season at the age of 33. It should be an attractive landing spot for a QB.

Also, Aaron Rodgers worked pretty much exactly as Pittsburgh hoped he would, I'll bet they've already talked about trying that route again next year with Cousins. If I were Cousins, I'd tell them to get rid of Arthur Smith first though.

[The Great Hambino]

10 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Harbaugh out in Baltimore

Wow, I really didn't think they'd do it

[nicksaviking]

7 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Harbaugh out in Baltimore

Good coach who over-stayed his welcome. He'll probably get interviews at the top spots right away, but he should take a year off.  That guy reallllly needs to rethink his offensive approach. If he just takes what he's doing in Baltimore to New York or Tennessee it won't work. Refresh, reset and study what worked for other teams that have changed their strategies while you kept yours the same for nearly two decades. It's not even remotely the same sport as it was back then.

I also realize this post could have been exactly the same for Mike Tomlin had the kicking situation turned out differently Sunday night.

[Vanimal46]

Flores and Baltimore feels like a match made in heaven to be honest 

[nicksaviking]

13 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

AZ has awful ownership, but great offensive weapons. Trey McBride just gave Jacoby Brissett a career best season at the age of 33. It should be an attractive landing spot for a QB.

Also, Aaron Rodgers worked pretty much exactly as Pittsburgh hoped he would, I'll bet they've already talked about trying that route again next year with Cousins. If I were Cousins, I'd tell them to get rid of Arthur Smith first though.

Now I see AZ is interviewing Klint Kubiak. If he got that job, I'd bet rumors of Cousins to AZ heat up real fast. They have the 3rd pick in the draft but both the Raiders and Jets will be presumed to be looking at (over)drafting a QB.

And even if they don't, AZ and the rest of the league won't know they're passing on a QB until free agency is basically over.

[gunnarthor]

24 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Good coach who over-stayed his welcome. He'll probably get interviews at the top spots right away, but he should take a year off.  That guy reallllly needs to rethink his offensive approach. If he just takes what he's doing in Baltimore to New York or Tennessee it won't work. Refresh, reset and study what worked for other teams that have changed their strategies while you kept yours the same for nearly two decades. It's not even remotely the same sport as it was back then.

I also realize this post could have been exactly the same for Mike Tomlin had the kicking situation turned out differently Sunday night.

I know these guys are wired differently but, gads, he's 63. He's won a super bowl. He was making 17m/yr. Retire. Just enjoy the world and stop worrying about football. 

[nicksaviking]

Just now, gunnarthor said:

I know these guys are wired differently but, gads, he's 63. He's won a super bowl. He was making 17m/yr. Retire. Just enjoy the world and stop worrying about football. 

And if he wants to keep working in football, there's certainly a TV gig available to him.

[Mike Sixel]

34 minutes ago, gunnarthor said:

I know these guys are wired differently but, gads, he's 63. He's won a super bowl. He was making 17m/yr. Retire. Just enjoy the world and stop worrying about football. 

He strikes me as no life outside football. 

[Vanimal46]

So another team(s) would be willing to fire their HC in order to hire Harbaugh. Interesting…

[TheLeviathan]

1 minute ago, Vanimal46 said:

So another team(s) would be willing to fire their HC in order to hire Harbaugh. Interesting…

At least one.  I'd bet two....hard for the Cards to text with their thumbs stuck in their butt.

[Mike Sixel]

Flores to Baltimore.... That's my prediction..

[Vanimal46]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

Flores to Baltimore.... That's my prediction..

Agreed. Feels like a great fit for both parties. They’ll extend Lamar to lower his cap hit, and he won’t have to worry about QB for the next 5-10 years. Then B Flo does his thing building an elite defense. 

[gunnarthor]

34 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Flores to Baltimore.... That's my prediction..

It makes sense. Hope it doesn't happen. 

[The Great Hambino]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Flores to Baltimore.... That's my prediction..

I wonder if he'd pair well with Kliff Kingsbury as OC.  With the modest success he had with Kyler, I'd imagine he'd love to work with Lamar. 

[Parfigliano]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Flores and Baltimore feels like a match made in heaven to be honest 

Hope not.