Kirk Cousins Joins Vikings: Trade Impact Explained

Let's hit the Kirk Cousins one first, because a lot of people were expecting the Vikings to make a move at quarterback. Now, we didn't know who it was going to be. They had their eyes set on a few different players, and they landed on Kirk Cousins. So they get Kirk Cousins from the Raiders for a 2027 third round pick. That is literally one night after Carson Wentz looked absolutely awful against Buffalo. And John, they got their guy. This is their guy the rest of the season. Remember I was saying, All they need is just an average quarterback to go with this elite defense. And they got somebody that I think is better than average. Now, he's not the prime Kirk Cousins that he was a couple years back. But I think with Kevin O'Connell again, I mean, he could get close to that. What do you feel about it? The story of that trade is Las Vegas. The story of that trade is not Minnesota. The story of that trade is Las Vegas. Here's why. If, if, if the plan was for them to get Kirk Cousins, have him play well until the trade deadline, and then trade him off to some desperate team in need of a quarterback, and then turn around and play the number one pick after our new head coach has established a credibility within the locker room and positive momentum because they have won games and they have played well. They're establishing culture. Kirk Cousins played a part in that. And they're establishing a winning attitude, which Kirk Cousins played a part in that. Now, Kirk Cousins has done his part. We're now going to let you go play and make a run for a Super Bowl. We get picks in exchange. And now we know our season is pretty much we're not going to make the playoffs. We're going to reinvigorate our fan base by playing the number one pick that everyone's been asking for. If this is the way the Raiders intended this. This is the ace in the hole. They win the trade because of what happens now after this. The Raiders can go nowhere but up from here because Fernando Mendoza is about to go out there and I believe pretty much do what Kirk Cousins did, put up good numbers and still lose. The Vikings, on the other hand, I'm the type of person, I believe in the vibe, bro. I really do. I'm a vibes guy. If the vibes ain't off, I'm good out there. I'm right there with you, man. The vibe for what he was doing, immaculate in Las Vegas. The vibes for what he was doing in Atlanta, not so much. And so now, don't forget, they gave up on him. Kevin O'Connell saw something that he didn't like about Kirk Cousins. They didn't want to pay Kirk Cousins, and they let him move on to Atlanta. After that, the whole J.J. McCarthy thing went sideways. Then the Daniel Jones thing, he walked away. Then Carson Wentz can't play. Kyler Murray apparently can't play within his offense. So what are you now doing with Kyler Murray, who you brought in to kind of save his career and save your season? His hamstring is so bad. Y'all had to trade for Kirk Cousins. Like, bro. Just tell me y'all didn't think he could play. Y'all gave Carson Wentz a chance because he won that game in Chicago on the road. Cool. But now you're going to bring back Kirk Cousins, who's a statue back there. So if nothing, Kyler Murray could move. If nothing, Carson Wentz could move while throwing an interception. Kirk Cousins ain't moving nowhere. So are you kind of... Are you like 50-50 on Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, like going back there? Because a lot of people are saying, well, okay, now they're contenders again. Like now I really believe in the six and two Vikings being a contending team because that was their only missing spot. I mean, you could say running back too, I guess, but that was basically their only missing piece of their team. We knew the defense was awesome. We knew Brian Flores had that defense flying around. All they needed was a competent quarterback to get Justin Jefferson the ball Five, six times a game at least. And at least they have that, right? So are you kind of up and down on it? Like you don't believe in this team to be a contender? Or how are you? Listen, eight chains got to catch the ball no matter who's throwing it. Okay? I like how that's his new nickname that he gave. Yeah, yeah. Justin Jefferson, a.k.a. Eight Chains, got to catch the ball. That's first and foremost. And two, the thing Kirk Cousins can't do is block. Tom Brady's wife once said in a tunnel, he can't throw it in and block. He can't throw it in and catch. So the Vikings' problem that still exists is they still have trouble blocking up front. That's their actual weakness. That's the thing no one's talked about. They had trouble protecting Kyler Murray. They had trouble protecting J.J. McCarthy. They had trouble protecting Carson Wentz. Kirk Cousins is less mobile than all three of those dudes. And so, although I think that he will be able to get the ball out of his hands faster, he can execute the plan, at the end of the day, you're still going to have to make plays either outside the pocket or out of rhythm. And I don't know if Kirk Cousins will be able to do that as the season gets deeper. You know, we have seen Kirk with, you know, these... We've seen Kirk Cousins with Kevin O'Connell. We've seen him with some better offensive minds. He was just with Kubiak in Las Vegas. And you could tell having a competent offensive mind, he didn't really have that in Atlanta, right? And that's why he struggled a lot. I feel like he needs that kind of architecture and that system behind him to thrive. And I just feel like he had that in Las Vegas. Obviously, he's not the same. Like I said, he's not the same guy that we've seen. You know, when he was playing in Minnesota before that Achilles injury, but still there's flashes here and there of him being that version of himself.