Also I dont hate Couisins, he's got talent and we've never given him the line he needs, but hate his contract, that's why I'd take 1/2 that and move on. And wholly cow what is Watson gonna fetch, 5 first round picks and a first born child?
First thing I thought of when I saw the details of the trade, Jim. I can only assume human trafficking will be the cornerstone of the seemingly inevitable Watson trade.
One thing I neglected to add with this comment last night, Jim: We'll never know but I suspect that one of those 1st rounders to Detroit wasn't so much for Stafford but for the Lions taking Goff's contract on. That is not a good contract and to have that thing off the books is big for the Rams. Bottom line, the trade probably isn't quite as lopsided as it looks, but even with updated math, two 1sts and Goff is still more than I expected Stafford to fetch.
Exactly. Osweiler was traded for a 2nd round pick in a blatant salary dump. That's what drove a lot of this trade (along with a franchise that gives zero effs about draft picks--which right or wrong, is a rarity in the market). Also, for a veteran starting QB Stafford is dirt cheap--that affects the trade haul, too. Cousins's salary is cheap this year, but expensive next year.
Finally, if Cousins is traded the Vikings would have a $20 MM dead cap hit. So, the choice is a $30 MM cap hit and play Cousins or trade him and try to replace 4200 yds, 35 TDs (and sure, a fumble every other game) for $10 MM. Now if Watson could be had and it means cutting Rudy, Reiff, Smith, Theilen, and Barr, fair enough. But next offseason is the far more likely time for Cousins to be moved.
Matthew this goes back to your piece last year on Stafford and Cousins. Neither has the upper hand. Stafford stronger arm, erratic. Cousins way more durable, accurate, robot. There is no way that the Vikings don’t get a 2 this year and 3 next year for Cousins. That literally solves your cap problem and running that offense you can insert any veteran qb and be 7-9. Please let’s finally do this. Also if Stafford got that what will Watson get 🤣?
By any chance was Herschel Walker a part of the trade?
In all seriousness, I'm a bit stunned at the haul Detroit was able to get for a quarterback I find to be terribly enigmatic. I have a very difficult time assessing Stafford's true value given his performance and given the team he plays on.
Stafford has the statistics coupled with dizzying highs and lows to be labeled a "coach killer" quarterback in my book. The kind of guy who tantalizes a coach with his enormously high ceiling but who for whatever reason is prone to stretches of bad play and terrible mistakes. The kind of bad play and mistakes that gets a guy fired for hitching his wagon to him.
But I can't give him that label for one simple reason: The guy played for the Lions. How much of that maddening inconsistency was the product of a revolving door of poor head coaches and coordinators? That being said, in my opinion Jim Caldwell was a good head coach in this league and while Stafford and the Lions certainly did better under his guidance, Stafford's numbers under Caldwell don't exactly leap off the page. He certainly played well during that stretch, but he was still inconsistent and threw a minimum of 10 interceptions per year during the Caldwell years.
I just don't know what to think here.
Well, there is one thing I think. I think the Lions got a heck of a lot more for Stafford than I would have ever predicted. Obviously McVay sees Stafford as the kind of franchise-changing player that I do not and he was willing to take an enormous risk in getting him. Time will tell as to the wisdom of this decision, but I have to give McVay credit for taking a major home run swing. One has to respect that kind of gutsy move.
What if they convert some of the Goff salary to bonus to make the contract more manageable, flip him to Washington, and then use their draft capital to trade up and get Zack Wilson 👀👀👀
Also I dont hate Couisins, he's got talent and we've never given him the line he needs, but hate his contract, that's why I'd take 1/2 that and move on. And wholly cow what is Watson gonna fetch, 5 first round picks and a first born child?
First thing I thought of when I saw the details of the trade, Jim. I can only assume human trafficking will be the cornerstone of the seemingly inevitable Watson trade.
One thing I neglected to add with this comment last night, Jim: We'll never know but I suspect that one of those 1st rounders to Detroit wasn't so much for Stafford but for the Lions taking Goff's contract on. That is not a good contract and to have that thing off the books is big for the Rams. Bottom line, the trade probably isn't quite as lopsided as it looks, but even with updated math, two 1sts and Goff is still more than I expected Stafford to fetch.
Exactly. Osweiler was traded for a 2nd round pick in a blatant salary dump. That's what drove a lot of this trade (along with a franchise that gives zero effs about draft picks--which right or wrong, is a rarity in the market). Also, for a veteran starting QB Stafford is dirt cheap--that affects the trade haul, too. Cousins's salary is cheap this year, but expensive next year.
Finally, if Cousins is traded the Vikings would have a $20 MM dead cap hit. So, the choice is a $30 MM cap hit and play Cousins or trade him and try to replace 4200 yds, 35 TDs (and sure, a fumble every other game) for $10 MM. Now if Watson could be had and it means cutting Rudy, Reiff, Smith, Theilen, and Barr, fair enough. But next offseason is the far more likely time for Cousins to be moved.
Wow, feels like Detroit got better end of deal. We'll now see if it was Stafford. I'd take half that for Cousins.
Hopefully this starts an NFC West arms race and the '49ers come calling.
It’s like your neighbor just got an offer on a similar house for 100000 more than you paid. You absolutely call your realtor
Nailed it. If Stafford is a 3000 square foot ranch Cousins is a 2800 square foot ranch on a cul de sac. You gotta at least take a look right?
Matthew this goes back to your piece last year on Stafford and Cousins. Neither has the upper hand. Stafford stronger arm, erratic. Cousins way more durable, accurate, robot. There is no way that the Vikings don’t get a 2 this year and 3 next year for Cousins. That literally solves your cap problem and running that offense you can insert any veteran qb and be 7-9. Please let’s finally do this. Also if Stafford got that what will Watson get 🤣?
I would just be happy if Cousins was traded. As long as we get back anything but another terrible QB contract is acceptable to me.
By any chance was Herschel Walker a part of the trade?
In all seriousness, I'm a bit stunned at the haul Detroit was able to get for a quarterback I find to be terribly enigmatic. I have a very difficult time assessing Stafford's true value given his performance and given the team he plays on.
Stafford has the statistics coupled with dizzying highs and lows to be labeled a "coach killer" quarterback in my book. The kind of guy who tantalizes a coach with his enormously high ceiling but who for whatever reason is prone to stretches of bad play and terrible mistakes. The kind of bad play and mistakes that gets a guy fired for hitching his wagon to him.
But I can't give him that label for one simple reason: The guy played for the Lions. How much of that maddening inconsistency was the product of a revolving door of poor head coaches and coordinators? That being said, in my opinion Jim Caldwell was a good head coach in this league and while Stafford and the Lions certainly did better under his guidance, Stafford's numbers under Caldwell don't exactly leap off the page. He certainly played well during that stretch, but he was still inconsistent and threw a minimum of 10 interceptions per year during the Caldwell years.
I just don't know what to think here.
Well, there is one thing I think. I think the Lions got a heck of a lot more for Stafford than I would have ever predicted. Obviously McVay sees Stafford as the kind of franchise-changing player that I do not and he was willing to take an enormous risk in getting him. Time will tell as to the wisdom of this decision, but I have to give McVay credit for taking a major home run swing. One has to respect that kind of gutsy move.
Great article Mathew one place for sure to put Kirk Cousins way ahead of Stafford is durability Stafford missed lotta time in his career
What if they convert some of the Goff salary to bonus to make the contract more manageable, flip him to Washington, and then use their draft capital to trade up and get Zack Wilson 👀👀👀
Before anyone brings up Kirk should bring back 2 firsts since Stafford did remember Kirk’s contract is Jared Goff level bad.