QB Kirk Cousins, ATL (3 Viewers)

[TheWinz]

At this point, what are the options for Cousins? What leverage does he hold if he wants out of Atlanta?

 

[Gally]

You’re presenting it like he didn’t want to be on the tag. He very much did. Pretty much insisted on it.

He insisted on it because they were low balling him on the long term contract. It was really his only option. That doesn't mean he wasn't risking/sacrificing anything. He was betting on himself for sure (and won) but that is different than not sacrificing anything.

He very well could have taken a lower long term contract and avoided the risk of the franchise tag but he didn't.

 

[JohnnyU]

At this point, what are the options for Cousins? What leverage does he hold if he wants out of Atlanta?

He signed a 4 year $180 million contract. He's not in a position of leverage. He has two main options with the Atlanta Falcons: remain as a backup to Michael Penix Jr. or be traded to another team. A trade would require Cousins to waive his no-trade clause, and the Falcons would need to find a suitable trade partner willing to meet their compensation demands. The Falcons are also comfortable with him as a backup, and a trade might not be their priority.

In other words, play nice and wait. Who knows, maybe something opens up for a QB needy team. He may have to ditch the no-trade clause however.

 

[wgoldsph]

Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those Washington teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to Vikings and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the Falcons doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways. Kirk needs to STFU.

Players go for the highest dollar value or for winning a championship (more money during the playoffs along with the prestige). Cousins trying to secure a long term contract is a totally normal thing for any player to do. Washington hitting him with the tag repeatedly didn't give him that "generational wealth" you talk about (especially not by today's standards). Like everyone else at his position he wanted to get paid.

And he shut up when he got a contract he wanted. If he complained in Minn I don't remember it. So you've got the start of his career where the team that drafted him wouldn't extend him at his price or trade him putting the tag on him repeatedly, something I don't believe has happened to any QB in the past 30 years which he didn't like. Then the middle of his career where he got the contract he wanted...Crickets. Then the end of his career the team that signed him didn't tell him they planned to grab a QB in the first and he was obviously upset about that.

Sounds like you just don't like the dude to me.

Side question - how do you feel about Eli Manning? I'm genuinely interested to see if there's a difference between your take on the two.

Bro you need to reread what I wrote and then probably do it a couple more times, because nothing you just said address my comments.

I have no problem whatsoever with how he’s handled negotiations throughout his career. I am very pro-player. Game is brutal, they should fight for every dollar. And he never was a squeaky wheel in Washington or Minnesota. This would be that “aw shucks” I mentioned. He knows how to present himself in the media.

I’m a Wash fan, extremely aware of the back and forth in his negotiations and tags. We low balled him, he called our bluff, then he used the upper hand to leverage into two huge cash years on the tag and a massive contract in Minnesota. He shows up as 6th all time in career earnings anywhere I check and pretty sure will be 3rd after this season. And that’s fine, good for him. I’m not bitter he left Wash either. We mismanaged him just as much as he worked us.

*the whole point* is if you do all of that ^, and a franchise signs you, pays you a **** load more$$, then decides they want to draft a guy to replace you the next day, you gotta shut up about it. I don’t want to hear one single word. Just shut the **** up while the leopards eat your face because you’ve been the leopard your whole life.

So basically every NFL player should shut up if something happens they don't like?

He's a leopard because players are empowered, but when he finds himself blindsided he should become a lamb. I'm genuinely not following this logical train.

I think what bothers me the most is it's a valid comment on his situation and not in any shape or form critical of the player. This is what I want to hear from a QB who wants to start games. He wants to start, he doesn't like it when he isn't, but it's the team and not the guy replacing him.

Just what is the problem here?

It’s a pretty simple concept. Turnabout is fair play. If you treat teams as commodities your whole career, you don’t get to whine about it when they do the same to you.

Shoes and feet
Turnabout
Golden rule
Rocks and glass houses
Pots and kettles

There’s a lot of sayings for this and they all mean the same thing.

So why Cousins and not every player? He's not the only one that held the screws to his team. Should every player just shut up whenever the team completely blindsided them?

"Oh no, it's totally cool they told me I'd start and then drafted someone in the first"

He's a human being. Let the man feel.

 

[Da Franchise]

You’re presenting it like he didn’t want to be on the tag. He very much did. Pretty much insisted on it.

He insisted on it because they were low balling him on the long term contract. It was really his only option. That doesn't mean he wasn't risking/sacrificing anything. He was betting on himself for sure (and won) but that is different than not sacrificing anything.

He very well could have taken a lower long term contract and avoided the risk of the franchise tag but he didn't.

They lowballed him initially as I said above but there were many twists and turns during that process. Anyway I’m not going to relive the Cousins negotiations. Bottom line is he’s only ever prioritized himself. Can’t catch feelings when a team does the same thing back to you.

 

[Da Franchise]

Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those Washington teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to Vikings and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the Falcons doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways. Kirk needs to STFU.

Players go for the highest dollar value or for winning a championship (more money during the playoffs along with the prestige). Cousins trying to secure a long term contract is a totally normal thing for any player to do. Washington hitting him with the tag repeatedly didn't give him that "generational wealth" you talk about (especially not by today's standards). Like everyone else at his position he wanted to get paid.

And he shut up when he got a contract he wanted. If he complained in Minn I don't remember it. So you've got the start of his career where the team that drafted him wouldn't extend him at his price or trade him putting the tag on him repeatedly, something I don't believe has happened to any QB in the past 30 years which he didn't like. Then the middle of his career where he got the contract he wanted...Crickets. Then the end of his career the team that signed him didn't tell him they planned to grab a QB in the first and he was obviously upset about that.

Sounds like you just don't like the dude to me.

Side question - how do you feel about Eli Manning? I'm genuinely interested to see if there's a difference between your take on the two.

Bro you need to reread what I wrote and then probably do it a couple more times, because nothing you just said address my comments.

I have no problem whatsoever with how he’s handled negotiations throughout his career. I am very pro-player. Game is brutal, they should fight for every dollar. And he never was a squeaky wheel in Washington or Minnesota. This would be that “aw shucks” I mentioned. He knows how to present himself in the media.

I’m a Wash fan, extremely aware of the back and forth in his negotiations and tags. We low balled him, he called our bluff, then he used the upper hand to leverage into two huge cash years on the tag and a massive contract in Minnesota. He shows up as 6th all time in career earnings anywhere I check and pretty sure will be 3rd after this season. And that’s fine, good for him. I’m not bitter he left Wash either. We mismanaged him just as much as he worked us.

*the whole point* is if you do all of that ^, and a franchise signs you, pays you a **** load more$$, then decides they want to draft a guy to replace you the next day, you gotta shut up about it. I don’t want to hear one single word. Just shut the **** up while the leopards eat your face because you’ve been the leopard your whole life.

So basically every NFL player should shut up if something happens they don't like?

He's a leopard because players are empowered, but when he finds himself blindsided he should become a lamb. I'm genuinely not following this logical train.

I think what bothers me the most is it's a valid comment on his situation and not in any shape or form critical of the player. This is what I want to hear from a QB who wants to start games. He wants to start, he doesn't like it when he isn't, but it's the team and not the guy replacing him.

Just what is the problem here?

It’s a pretty simple concept. Turnabout is fair play. If you treat teams as commodities your whole career, you don’t get to whine about it when they do the same to you.

Shoes and feet
Turnabout
Golden rule
Rocks and glass houses
Pots and kettles

There’s a lot of sayings for this and they all mean the same thing.

So why Cousins and not every player? He's not the only one that held the screws to his team. Should every player just shut up whenever the team completely blindsided them?

"Oh no, it's totally cool they told me I'd start and then drafted someone in the first"

He's a human being. Let the man feel.

Somewhere Don Draper is yelling “That’s what the money’s for”.

Cousins is really in a league of his own when it comes to contract negotiations. There are no comps. 6th highest earner ever. 1 playoff win. Dug heels to play on bag to back tags. Secured first ever fully guaranteed contract. Two big time extensions. Now all the Falcons stuff. My take is not transferable to any other player because there’s never been a comparable situation.

 

[wgoldsph]

Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those Washington teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to Vikings and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the Falcons doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways. Kirk needs to STFU.

Players go for the highest dollar value or for winning a championship (more money during the playoffs along with the prestige). Cousins trying to secure a long term contract is a totally normal thing for any player to do. Washington hitting him with the tag repeatedly didn't give him that "generational wealth" you talk about (especially not by today's standards). Like everyone else at his position he wanted to get paid.

And he shut up when he got a contract he wanted. If he complained in Minn I don't remember it. So you've got the start of his career where the team that drafted him wouldn't extend him at his price or trade him putting the tag on him repeatedly, something I don't believe has happened to any QB in the past 30 years which he didn't like. Then the middle of his career where he got the contract he wanted...Crickets. Then the end of his career the team that signed him didn't tell him they planned to grab a QB in the first and he was obviously upset about that.

Sounds like you just don't like the dude to me.

Side question - how do you feel about Eli Manning? I'm genuinely interested to see if there's a difference between your take on the two.

Bro you need to reread what I wrote and then probably do it a couple more times, because nothing you just said address my comments.

I have no problem whatsoever with how he’s handled negotiations throughout his career. I am very pro-player. Game is brutal, they should fight for every dollar. And he never was a squeaky wheel in Washington or Minnesota. This would be that “aw shucks” I mentioned. He knows how to present himself in the media.

I’m a Wash fan, extremely aware of the back and forth in his negotiations and tags. We low balled him, he called our bluff, then he used the upper hand to leverage into two huge cash years on the tag and a massive contract in Minnesota. He shows up as 6th all time in career earnings anywhere I check and pretty sure will be 3rd after this season. And that’s fine, good for him. I’m not bitter he left Wash either. We mismanaged him just as much as he worked us.

*the whole point* is if you do all of that ^, and a franchise signs you, pays you a **** load more$$, then decides they want to draft a guy to replace you the next day, you gotta shut up about it. I don’t want to hear one single word. Just shut the **** up while the leopards eat your face because you’ve been the leopard your whole life.

So basically every NFL player should shut up if something happens they don't like?

He's a leopard because players are empowered, but when he finds himself blindsided he should become a lamb. I'm genuinely not following this logical train.

I think what bothers me the most is it's a valid comment on his situation and not in any shape or form critical of the player. This is what I want to hear from a QB who wants to start games. He wants to start, he doesn't like it when he isn't, but it's the team and not the guy replacing him.

Just what is the problem here?

It’s a pretty simple concept. Turnabout is fair play. If you treat teams as commodities your whole career, you don’t get to whine about it when they do the same to you.

Shoes and feet
Turnabout
Golden rule
Rocks and glass houses
Pots and kettles

There’s a lot of sayings for this and they all mean the same thing.

So why Cousins and not every player? He's not the only one that held the screws to his team. Should every player just shut up whenever the team completely blindsided them?

"Oh no, it's totally cool they told me I'd start and then drafted someone in the first"

He's a human being. Let the man feel.

Somewhere Don Draper is yelling “That’s what the money’s for”.

Cousins is really in a league of his own when it comes to contract negotiations. There are no comps. 6th highest earner ever. 1 playoff win. Dug heels to play on bag to back tags. Secured first ever fully guaranteed contract. Two big time extensions. Now all the Falcons stuff. My take is not transferable to any other player because there’s never been a comparable situation.

The fact that you think what he did is in any way different than what the agents of every other player is doing shows that this is weirdly personal and not at all aware of how business works in the NFL.

Honestly? I'm impressed by his ability to milk his career for all it's worth and I support his ability to turn a mediocre player into one of the best paid all time. Gotta admire the hustle.

 

[Da Franchise]

Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those Washington teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to Vikings and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the Falcons doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways. Kirk needs to STFU.

Players go for the highest dollar value or for winning a championship (more money during the playoffs along with the prestige). Cousins trying to secure a long term contract is a totally normal thing for any player to do. Washington hitting him with the tag repeatedly didn't give him that "generational wealth" you talk about (especially not by today's standards). Like everyone else at his position he wanted to get paid.

And he shut up when he got a contract he wanted. If he complained in Minn I don't remember it. So you've got the start of his career where the team that drafted him wouldn't extend him at his price or trade him putting the tag on him repeatedly, something I don't believe has happened to any QB in the past 30 years which he didn't like. Then the middle of his career where he got the contract he wanted...Crickets. Then the end of his career the team that signed him didn't tell him they planned to grab a QB in the first and he was obviously upset about that.

Sounds like you just don't like the dude to me.

Side question - how do you feel about Eli Manning? I'm genuinely interested to see if there's a difference between your take on the two.

Bro you need to reread what I wrote and then probably do it a couple more times, because nothing you just said address my comments.

I have no problem whatsoever with how he’s handled negotiations throughout his career. I am very pro-player. Game is brutal, they should fight for every dollar. And he never was a squeaky wheel in Washington or Minnesota. This would be that “aw shucks” I mentioned. He knows how to present himself in the media.

I’m a Wash fan, extremely aware of the back and forth in his negotiations and tags. We low balled him, he called our bluff, then he used the upper hand to leverage into two huge cash years on the tag and a massive contract in Minnesota. He shows up as 6th all time in career earnings anywhere I check and pretty sure will be 3rd after this season. And that’s fine, good for him. I’m not bitter he left Wash either. We mismanaged him just as much as he worked us.

*the whole point* is if you do all of that ^, and a franchise signs you, pays you a **** load more$$, then decides they want to draft a guy to replace you the next day, you gotta shut up about it. I don’t want to hear one single word. Just shut the **** up while the leopards eat your face because you’ve been the leopard your whole life.

So basically every NFL player should shut up if something happens they don't like?

He's a leopard because players are empowered, but when he finds himself blindsided he should become a lamb. I'm genuinely not following this logical train.

I think what bothers me the most is it's a valid comment on his situation and not in any shape or form critical of the player. This is what I want to hear from a QB who wants to start games. He wants to start, he doesn't like it when he isn't, but it's the team and not the guy replacing him.

Just what is the problem here?

It’s a pretty simple concept. Turnabout is fair play. If you treat teams as commodities your whole career, you don’t get to whine about it when they do the same to you.

Shoes and feet
Turnabout
Golden rule
Rocks and glass houses
Pots and kettles

There’s a lot of sayings for this and they all mean the same thing.

So why Cousins and not every player? He's not the only one that held the screws to his team. Should every player just shut up whenever the team completely blindsided them?

"Oh no, it's totally cool they told me I'd start and then drafted someone in the first"

He's a human being. Let the man feel.

Somewhere Don Draper is yelling “That’s what the money’s for”.

Cousins is really in a league of his own when it comes to contract negotiations. There are no comps. 6th highest earner ever. 1 playoff win. Dug heels to play on bag to back tags. Secured first ever fully guaranteed contract. Two big time extensions. Now all the Falcons stuff. My take is not transferable to any other player because there’s never been a comparable situation.

The fact that you think what he did is in any way different than what the agents of every other player is doing shows that this is weirdly personal and not at all aware of how business works in the NFL.

Honestly? I'm impressed by his ability to milk his career for all it's worth and I support his ability to turn a mediocre player into one of the best paid all time. Gotta admire the hustle.

At no point in this back and forth have you successfully understood what I’m saying. No worries. Just going to leave it at that.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Kirk Cousins
felt 'misled' after
Falcons
drafted
Michael Penix
Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those
Washington
teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to
Vikings
and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the
Falcons
doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways.
Kirk
needs to STFU.

I actually disagree 100% here.

He's actually been the one player I can remember who embraced the franchise tag. If I'm not mistaken, he played on it twice in WAS which afforded him a 'no strings attached' situation from a FA when he finally left for MIN. And he did this on a 4th round rookie contract - not a 1st rounder. That doesn't feel like 'demanding every single red cent'...it actually feels pretty admirable insofar as betting on himself while playing the system (that largely favors the owners) to great advantage while at great risk to his long term financial future.

He's never held out...he's just tried to look out for the best situation for him/his family. My guess is that the 'misled' statement reflected more of a 'if I knew then what I know now' sentiment...and the process he went through likely prioritized security when he was a FA. As soon as
Penix
was drafted, he had none. And less than he would have had in MIN.

Consider that when the
Packers
drafted
Rodgers
in 2005...Favre's final 6 games of that season produced the following line:

2-4 record; 113/229 1338 2/12

Honestly, that's Nathan Peterman level play, but
Rodgers
doesn't start for two more years. Obviously
Cousins
' leash was much shorter.

What you’re missing is that playing on the tag wasn’t a sacrifice, it was leverage he used to force his way out and hit free agency. He wouldn’t work on a contract extension specifically for that reason. Which again, zero problem with that, good for him. Then he squeezed a fully guaranteed contract out of the
Vikings
, the first one of those the NFL ever gave a player. Then he squeezed them twice more with contract extensions, extracting every dollar possible each time. Which again, good for him on all of that.

I don’t care if he holds out or not, or negotiates in bad faith, or uses every ounce of leverage to get as much money as possible. Just that when the tables turn, and a team treats you like a commodity, you don’t get to whine about.

So Cousins not signing with WAS wasn't because they kept low balling him in contract negotiations?

...or this re-telling?

And then in the post-mortem, the GM referred to him as Kurt. It was 'Kurt' treating WAS like a commodity?

 

[Da Franchise]

Kirk Cousins
felt 'misled' after
Falcons
drafted
Michael Penix
Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those
Washington
teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to
Vikings
and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the
Falcons
doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways.
Kirk
needs to STFU.

I actually disagree 100% here.

He's actually been the one player I can remember who embraced the franchise tag. If I'm not mistaken, he played on it twice in WAS which afforded him a 'no strings attached' situation from a FA when he finally left for MIN. And he did this on a 4th round rookie contract - not a 1st rounder. That doesn't feel like 'demanding every single red cent'...it actually feels pretty admirable insofar as betting on himself while playing the system (that largely favors the owners) to great advantage while at great risk to his long term financial future.

He's never held out...he's just tried to look out for the best situation for him/his family. My guess is that the 'misled' statement reflected more of a 'if I knew then what I know now' sentiment...and the process he went through likely prioritized security when he was a FA. As soon as
Penix
was drafted, he had none. And less than he would have had in MIN.

Consider that when the
Packers
drafted
Rodgers
in 2005...Favre's final 6 games of that season produced the following line:

2-4 record; 113/229 1338 2/12

Honestly, that's Nathan Peterman level play, but
Rodgers
doesn't start for two more years. Obviously
Cousins
' leash was much shorter.

What you’re missing is that playing on the tag wasn’t a sacrifice, it was leverage he used to force his way out and hit free agency. He wouldn’t work on a contract extension specifically for that reason. Which again, zero problem with that, good for him. Then he squeezed a fully guaranteed contract out of the
Vikings
, the first one of those the NFL ever gave a player. Then he squeezed them twice more with contract extensions, extracting every dollar possible each time. Which again, good for him on all of that.

I don’t care if he holds out or not, or negotiates in bad faith, or uses every ounce of leverage to get as much money as possible. Just that when the tables turn, and a team treats you like a commodity, you don’t get to whine about.

So Cousins not signing with WAS wasn't because they kept low balling him in contract negotiations?

...or this re-telling?

And then in the post-mortem, the GM referred to him as Kurt. It was 'Kurt' treating WAS like a commodity?

I appreciate this thread for reminding me why I stopped posting on message boards.

 

[wgoldsph]

Kirk Cousins felt 'misled' after Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those Washington teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to Vikings and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the Falcons doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways. Kirk needs to STFU.

Players go for the highest dollar value or for winning a championship (more money during the playoffs along with the prestige). Cousins trying to secure a long term contract is a totally normal thing for any player to do. Washington hitting him with the tag repeatedly didn't give him that "generational wealth" you talk about (especially not by today's standards). Like everyone else at his position he wanted to get paid.

And he shut up when he got a contract he wanted. If he complained in Minn I don't remember it. So you've got the start of his career where the team that drafted him wouldn't extend him at his price or trade him putting the tag on him repeatedly, something I don't believe has happened to any QB in the past 30 years which he didn't like. Then the middle of his career where he got the contract he wanted...Crickets. Then the end of his career the team that signed him didn't tell him they planned to grab a QB in the first and he was obviously upset about that.

Sounds like you just don't like the dude to me.

Side question - how do you feel about Eli Manning? I'm genuinely interested to see if there's a difference between your take on the two.

Bro you need to reread what I wrote and then probably do it a couple more times, because nothing you just said address my comments.

I have no problem whatsoever with how he’s handled negotiations throughout his career. I am very pro-player. Game is brutal, they should fight for every dollar. And he never was a squeaky wheel in Washington or Minnesota. This would be that “aw shucks” I mentioned. He knows how to present himself in the media.

I’m a Wash fan, extremely aware of the back and forth in his negotiations and tags. We low balled him, he called our bluff, then he used the upper hand to leverage into two huge cash years on the tag and a massive contract in Minnesota. He shows up as 6th all time in career earnings anywhere I check and pretty sure will be 3rd after this season. And that’s fine, good for him. I’m not bitter he left Wash either. We mismanaged him just as much as he worked us.

*the whole point* is if you do all of that ^, and a franchise signs you, pays you a **** load more$$, then decides they want to draft a guy to replace you the next day, you gotta shut up about it. I don’t want to hear one single word. Just shut the **** up while the leopards eat your face because you’ve been the leopard your whole life.

So basically every NFL player should shut up if something happens they don't like?

He's a leopard because players are empowered, but when he finds himself blindsided he should become a lamb. I'm genuinely not following this logical train.

I think what bothers me the most is it's a valid comment on his situation and not in any shape or form critical of the player. This is what I want to hear from a QB who wants to start games. He wants to start, he doesn't like it when he isn't, but it's the team and not the guy replacing him.

Just what is the problem here?

It’s a pretty simple concept. Turnabout is fair play. If you treat teams as commodities your whole career, you don’t get to whine about it when they do the same to you.

Shoes and feet
Turnabout
Golden rule
Rocks and glass houses
Pots and kettles

There’s a lot of sayings for this and they all mean the same thing.

So why Cousins and not every player? He's not the only one that held the screws to his team. Should every player just shut up whenever the team completely blindsided them?

"Oh no, it's totally cool they told me I'd start and then drafted someone in the first"

He's a human being. Let the man feel.

Somewhere Don Draper is yelling “That’s what the money’s for”.

Cousins is really in a league of his own when it comes to contract negotiations. There are no comps. 6th highest earner ever. 1 playoff win. Dug heels to play on bag to back tags. Secured first ever fully guaranteed contract. Two big time extensions. Now all the Falcons stuff. My take is not transferable to any other player because there’s never been a comparable situation.

The fact that you think what he did is in any way different than what the agents of every other player is doing shows that this is weirdly personal and not at all aware of how business works in the NFL.

Honestly? I'm impressed by his ability to milk his career for all it's worth and I support his ability to turn a mediocre player into one of the best paid all time. Gotta admire the hustle.

At no point in this back and forth have you successfully understood what I’m saying. No worries. Just going to leave it at that.

At no point in this back and forth have you successfully made a point. I'm genuinely curious how this is a unique case and why you think that.

Seriously, you're saying Cousins is different without providing anything but radio personalities griping about him. I live in Philly... Radio hosts blast the team and players constantly. So no, your lack of evidence as to why Cousins is different than the other hundreds of players I've heard a radio personality say was being selfish is not getting through.

Give me a least one difference between him and anyone else and you might finally make a point.

 

[wgoldsph]

Kirk Cousins
felt 'misled' after
Falcons
drafted
Michael Penix
Jr.

I understand he's a competitor beyond what we can comprehend, but he sure complains a lot for a guy who has multigenerational wealth whereby even his grandkids (and perhaps beyond) are probably set up for life financially.

Wut? When?

Dudes career was him getting one year extensions after being drafted behind the new GOAT RG3 and managing to keep those
Washington
teams competitive. Name me one other player treated like he was by Wash. Then get goes to
Vikings
and I don't remember any complaints out of him. Then he signs a huge contract without being told the teams plans and he says he was "mislead" and suddenly he's complaining a lot?

Just an awful take.

Your take is just as awful. This guy has demanded every single red cent in every situation throughout his entire career. He has done it in an aw shucks kind of way and therefore avoided a lot of criticism, but if you ignore his comments and focus on his actions, you won’t find a more selfish player in terms of how they handle their business.

And you know what? That is all completely fine. Got no problem with guys getting paid. Not at all. But it’s a double edged sword and you don’t get to conduct your business the way he has his whole career and then turn around and cry about the
Falcons
doing whatever they think is best for their franchise.

Door swings both ways.
Kirk
needs to STFU.

I actually disagree 100% here.

He's actually been the one player I can remember who embraced the franchise tag. If I'm not mistaken, he played on it twice in WAS which afforded him a 'no strings attached' situation from a FA when he finally left for MIN. And he did this on a 4th round rookie contract - not a 1st rounder. That doesn't feel like 'demanding every single red cent'...it actually feels pretty admirable insofar as betting on himself while playing the system (that largely favors the owners) to great advantage while at great risk to his long term financial future.

He's never held out...he's just tried to look out for the best situation for him/his family. My guess is that the 'misled' statement reflected more of a 'if I knew then what I know now' sentiment...and the process he went through likely prioritized security when he was a FA. As soon as
Penix
was drafted, he had none. And less than he would have had in MIN.

Consider that when the
Packers
drafted
Rodgers
in 2005...Favre's final 6 games of that season produced the following line:

2-4 record; 113/229 1338 2/12

Honestly, that's Nathan Peterman level play, but
Rodgers
doesn't start for two more years. Obviously
Cousins
' leash was much shorter.

What you’re missing is that playing on the tag wasn’t a sacrifice, it was leverage he used to force his way out and hit free agency. He wouldn’t work on a contract extension specifically for that reason. Which again, zero problem with that, good for him. Then he squeezed a fully guaranteed contract out of the
Vikings
, the first one of those the NFL ever gave a player. Then he squeezed them twice more with contract extensions, extracting every dollar possible each time. Which again, good for him on all of that.

I don’t care if he holds out or not, or negotiates in bad faith, or uses every ounce of leverage to get as much money as possible. Just that when the tables turn, and a team treats you like a commodity, you don’t get to whine about.

So Cousins not signing with WAS wasn't because they kept low balling him in contract negotiations?

...or this re-telling?

And then in the post-mortem, the GM referred to him as Kurt. It was 'Kurt' treating WAS like a commodity?

I appreciate this thread for reminding me why I stopped posting on message boards.

Because people can refute you with evidence? Because this right here proves your only point is WRONG (in his voice)

 

[Faust]

Netflix's 'Quarterback' series showcases a Kirk Cousins who is longing to return to the Vikings

 

[JohnnyU]

Netflix's 'Quarterback' series showcases a Kirk Cousins who is longing to return to the Vikings

Why? He must like being a backup.

 

[IHEARTFF]

Maybe I am a sucker, but until I watched QB season 2 I didn't realize how hurt he was when his play just dropped off a cliff there back half of the season. They were in first place at the time. Maybe he's not cooked after all. Jets are on the phone I am sure.

 

[Bri]

Cousins was very good against the Titans and people were mentioning that he's been super accurate all summer

 

[Grahamburn]

I'm surprised he hasn't forced a trade.

 

[rockaction]

Maybe I am a sucker, but until I watched QB season 2 I didn't realize how hurt he was when his play just dropped off a cliff there back half of the season. They were in first place at the time. Maybe he's not cooked after all. Jets are on the phone I am sure.

I don't think the Jets think they're in a position to win this year, so unless they think he's got two more years left it wouldn't make sense. They could have last year, but not this one.

 

[IHEARTFF]

Maybe I am a sucker, but until I watched QB season 2 I didn't realize how hurt he was when his play just dropped off a cliff there back half of the season. They were in first place at the time. Maybe he's not cooked after all. Jets are on the phone I am sure.

I don't think the Jets think they're in a position to win this year, so unless they think he's got two more years left it wouldn't make sense. They could have last year, but not this one.

you're probably right. my post came as an overreaction right after Fields was hurt early in camp

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Maybe I am a sucker, but until I watched QB season 2 I didn't realize how hurt he was when his play just dropped off a cliff there back half of the season. They were in first place at the time. Maybe he's not cooked after all. Jets are on the phone I am sure.

I do think he was leveraging his 'veteran guile' to get by as his ankle/Achilles was having an impact on his 'physical attributes'. I think the Cousins slander over the offseason was a bit much. Prior to that injury, he was exactly as advertised which was a very good NFL QB.

Could he be streaky - yes! But that's who he's kind of always been. Good games/Great games and then a 1/3 type stinker. At the end of the season though, you looked up and he had put up some good numbers. Obviously not a good playoff QB.

Cousins was very good against the Titans and people were mentioning that he's been super accurate all summer

...this is the worst case situation for the Falcons. Their early schedule is no cakewalk (TB, @MIN, @CAR, WAS, bye, BUF, @SF).

There is a legitimate reality that Cousins is still the best QB on that team. Penix has absolutely looked promising...but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but how are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

 

[JoeJoe88]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

That’s my question - but bigger picture, what if they’re 1-5 or 2-4, but Penix was solid in the process?

That’s why I suggested the quality of play would be relevant.

I could see them going to Cousins if they’re 5-1, but Penix was a disaster in the process.

Similarly if he’s playing well but they’re 2-4, I’d bet he keeps getting starts.

 

[Gally]

You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think it is a likely candidate to the reason he couldn't drive the ball down the field. His arm wasn't washed before he got hurt. He made all the throws and was playing very good. There was no talk of being washed or evidence at all. The injury is catastrophic. It zaps a bunch of strength and drive from your lower half. Now that may still be gone and gone forever but it could be significant reason why last year was bad and this year could be fine. A whole year of strengthening and improving can do wonders. I think it is just as likely as anything.

 

[SoBeDad]

There is a legitimate reality that Cousins is still the best QB on that team. Penix has absolutely looked promising...but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

Penix faced the NYG, WAS, and CAR last year. And had the support of a good running game. He's still not proven. He throws a nice deep ball, but who is his WR #2 with Mooney out for a while? It won't happen, but Tyreek would fit in nicely.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

I'd disagree with you on him being pretty dang bad.

Thru 9 games, when the Falcons were 6-3, his full season pace was 385/557 4397 32/13. This is pretty much who had been throughout his tenure in MIN.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

I'd disagree with you on him being pretty dang bad.

Thru 9 games, when the Falcons were 6-3, his full season pace was 385/557 4397 32/13. This is pretty much who had been throughout his tenure in MIN.

In the 1st hour this morning, I was on pace to eat 24 breakfasts.

My pace has slowed substantially in the 4 hours since.

 

[JoeJoe88]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

I'd disagree with you on him being pretty dang bad.

Thru 9 games, when the Falcons were 6-3, his full season pace was 385/557 4397 32/13. This is pretty much who had been throughout his tenure in MIN.

So he was better in the initial part of the season. Wouldn’t that throw some cold water on blaming his injury on his ineffectiveness later in the season?

 

[cdclopper]

I mean, it's one thing to project Jeanty to have -100 yards on a full season based on his first preason game. It's another thing to take 9 games and project it across 16, for perspective.

The point is Cousins wasnt terrible the whole time last year. 5 games he was, the rest he was decent. Alltogether, he was somewhere between terrible and decent. I think that's the point.

 

[JoeJoe88]

Didn’t he also lead the league in interceptions, tied with Baker? And Baker played a full season.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I mean, it's one thing to project Jeanty to have -100 yards on a full season based on his first preason game. It's another thing to take 9 games and project it across 16, for perspective.

The point is Cousins wasnt terrible the whole time last year. 5 games he was, the rest he was decent. Alltogether, he was somewhere between terrible and decent. I think that's the point.

Sure, and i was just making a funny. “On pace” always cracks me up, but you’re right.

So circling back to Penix, my take-away is that Penix just has to be somewhere better than “terrible to decent” to keep the job?

Seems like a low bar to clear.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

I'd disagree with you on him being pretty dang bad.

Thru 9 games, when the Falcons were 6-3, his full season pace was 385/557 4397 32/13. This is pretty much who had been throughout his tenure in MIN.

So he was better in the initial part of the season. Wouldn’t that throw some cold water on blaming his injury on his ineffectiveness later in the season?

The injury being referenced is from Week 10 when he took a big shot in the NO game. From there, his performance nose-dived.

On the Netflix Quarterback show, he mentioned that the combination of the ankle and shoulder injuries were alot to try and overcome.

 

[Gally]

but he's also done so in a vacuum of sorts. He pretty much has to win from the jump IMO.

I’m not sure that’s entirely true.

Young QBs struggle. Sure, Cousins is waiting in the wings in case catastrophe strikes, but who are we defining that? 4-2? 3-3?

Would they bench their young developing QB for Cousins if they’re a .500 team after 6 games?

I’m skeptical. An 0-6 start might do it, but it’s probably in the Falcons best interest to let Penix take his lumps unless he’s a complete disaster in the process.

What about 1-5/2-4?

The issue with having Cousins as a backup is that it opens up doors for legitimate conversation. The time period between September 9 & October 26 (the Falcons 7th game of the season) isn't insignificant. That's a decent amount of time for the Falcons - a team that's on a 7 season streak of losing seasons for 'same old/same old' chatter to become quite loud.

It's one thing if Easton Stick is your QB2...it's another if it's Cousins because now by not playing him, you're essentially admitting that this was a rebuild all along - which has been something both Fontenot/Morris have pretty much denied ever being the case.

Cousins was pretty dang bad last season. You can blame the injury recovery if you want, I’m not entirely convinced he isn’t pretty close to being washed. He did get benched for a reason, after all. That Week 10-14 stretch was particularly rough, and then he barely beat the Raiders.

I think things would have to get pretty dire for Atlanta to bench Penix for Cousins at this point.

I'd disagree with you on him being pretty dang bad.

Thru 9 games, when the Falcons were 6-3, his full season pace was 385/557 4397 32/13. This is pretty much who had been throughout his tenure in MIN.

So he was better in the initial part of the season. Wouldn’t that throw some cold water on blaming his injury on his ineffectiveness later in the season?

The injury being referenced is from Week 10 when he took a big shot in the NO game. From there, his performance nose-dived.

On the Netflix Quarterback show, he mentioned that the combination of the ankle and shoulder injuries were alot to try and overcome.

Also, while his stats seemed ok for the first 9 games he didn't look the same and he wasn't going down field as much (at least that is my recollection). I don't think he looked the same even if the stats were ok. Adding the shoulder issue after the big hit seems to have been too much to overcome.

 

[Faust]

Falcons' Kirk Cousins proving to be a valuable backup, teammate

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

 

[Faust]

Adam Schefter
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins returns tonight to Minnesota, which helped make him the fourth-highest-paid player in NFL history. With his money guaranteed for this season, Cousins now has made $321.5 million guaranteed, trailing only Aaron Rodgers ($395M guaranteed), Matthew Stafford ($384M guaranteed) and Russell Wilson ($324M guaranteed). Cousins is the only quarterback on that list not to win a Super Bowl and he has won only one playoff game.

https://x.com/adamschefter/status/1967265529606910385?s=61

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

 

[dipandglide]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

 

[Mitchie]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Think it would take a long-term injury to a QB on a competitive team with a sub-par backup. We haven't had that scenario yet and prob not super likely but possible.

 

[ffmail4me]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

And that's my point, we had 4-5 QB injuries suddenly pop up the first 2-3 weeks of the season and you don't hear Cousins' name pop up one time
It makes the ATlanta Falcons look worse and worse as decision makers. Be that Arthur Brain Blank or Head Coach Raheem Morris or whoever, they should not get a free pass for this

 

[Smack Tripper]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

And that's my point, we had 4-5 QB injuries suddenly pop up the first 2-3 weeks of the season and you don't hear Cousins' name pop up one time
It makes the ATlanta Falcons look worse and worse as decision makers. Be that Arthur Brain Blank or Head Coach Raheem Morris or whoever, they should not get a free pass for this

I think the contract is the reason why

 

[dipandglide]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

What teams?

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

What teams?

Let me try this one more time...I understand the POV about Cousins salary currently, nobody is disputing this
What it says is an indictment of the owner, GM, HC, and anyone else that was involved with the finances of all this...when did they realize he was an abhorrent mistake on their roster?

And if you can follow that logic then you have to question almost every other move they make or how they handle current players because they spend/spent many high picks on skill players
Nobody ever thinks any of them are operating on all cylinders for whatever the reasons, coaching, play calling, ownership, whatever the reasons

There are teams you should never listen to what their leaders say into the microphones, I say this as a lifelong Phinsfan, at some point you have to look far far up top.
Some teams are always going to be held back by their current ownership or leaders down to the Head Coach

 

[ericttspikes]

Just wait until a team has a major injury at QB, I still think Cousins will be traded immediately when that happens
What could the cost be in terms of draft picks? 4th, 5th, future 6th in two years?

$35M dead cap this year drops to just $12.5m next season vs his cap number of $57M

With several QB injuries and we haven't heard a single word about anyone even picking up the phone to inquire about Cousins

Cap number will rise from $40M and Season 2 for Penix on a rookie QB deal, that rises to $57.5M next year
Post June 1st release according to OTC, the dead cap falls to $22M which can be split over 2 seasons if they want, saves them $35M in cap space instantly
Year 3 of Penix young career, not much window to load up and try to make a deep run before the expensive extension

Cousins is an expensive plug. You'd have to be competing and desperate to make that phone call

and yet there are a few teams that should probably consider it...

And that's my point, we had 4-5 QB injuries suddenly pop up the first 2-3 weeks of the season and you don't hear Cousins' name pop up one time
It makes the ATlanta Falcons look worse and worse as decision makers. Be that Arthur Brain Blank or Head Coach Raheem Morris or whoever, they should not get a free pass for this

I think this exact scenario happening makes the Falcons having Cousins look pretty solid. They have what seems like an improved D. The best RB in the league and playmakers at WR and TE. I think Penix looks really good so far, but he's had like 4 season ending injuries in college. ATL's 3rd string QB is on IR. Cousins is an expensive luxury, but absolutely needed for any team that is seriously competing for the playoffs. I'd argue he's worth more to the Falcons than anything else they'd get on the market, and then having no legit backup to Penix. With a fairly weak division, I have to think the Falcons are positioned to be in the hunt.

 

[GreenNGold]

Per Schefter, Cousins is highly likely to start tomorrow as Penix is trending towards being inactive.

 

[JohnnyU]

Per Schefter, Cousins is highly likely to start tomorrow as Penix is trending towards being inactive.

I’m starting him over Mac Jones. Times are tough. They don’t even have a year for it, just tough times.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Let f’ing go!!

 

[Grahamburn]

Kirktober never dies.