Shaw66

How does an NFL coach find time during the season to scout college football QBs? I thought all the scouting in the Fall was done by the scouts, with the coaches getting involved after the season ends. I think these are the comments of fan. Like, "Mason Rudolph is great! I saw him though a long touchdown pass." Now, that's some real in depth scouting.

I've always thought the Pats made Brady a winner, not the other way around.

I think people are naive about what it takes to be really good. Brady was regularly the 8th to 10th rated QB early in his career, right where Cousins is. Brady learned his way to greatness. Whether Cousins will be great, I don't know, but he's put himself on the learning path. He believes in it. Belichick wins because his team is better prepared. Almost always better prepared. He says you prepare and prepare and then the game begins and you make changes to respond to what the other team is doing, but the changes are possible because you prepared. And, I haven't talked about this before, but some of it is simply brain power. How well and how quickly can you digest information on the field and make decisions? That's what the Wonderlic is supposed to test. I think Cousins is easily within the top 10 of QB Wonderlic scores. Cousins with Belichick could be another 10 years of misery. Brady could announce his retirement after the Super Bowl. Of the Pats could cut him. Both could happen before March. The Cousins auction doesn't begin until March. I'm not saying it will happen, but it would be a nightmare. I think Cousins would go there in a heartbeat.

This quote struck me. This quote relates to the idea that Cousins isn't good enough because the Redskins haven't won enough when he was at QB. It's part of the argument about whether to attribute wins to the QB. Well, if he isn't good enough because his team hasn't won enough, then it isn't worth spending money on any of the free agents. May as well cut Tyrod, trade up and take your chances, because there is no other solution. But the fundamental point is at least flawed, if not out and out wrong. From the Bills' point of view, where would be the absolute WORST place for Cousins to go? Absolute worst. Someone suggested it earlier. Brady retires next week and Cousins signs in New England. Why is that the worst? Because Cousins fits what Belichick wants EXACTLY. A guy with a good enough arm who studies all the time, works hard, learns and improves. By the way, Brady's passer ratings in his early years are just like Cousins. He didn't turn into a premier QB until he reached 30. But, you say, the Patriots are already winners. Yes, and that's exactly the point. Why are the Patriots already winners? Because of Brady? Only in part. It's because of Belichick. Give Belichick the right QB and he's going to win. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PLAYERS. If it were about the players, Denver would have been better last year. It's about the coach. So it makes no sense to me to say you don't want Cousins because his team didn't win. Wins aren't a measure of his value and his ability. The best measure, which is far from perfect but it's all you have, are his personal stats, and the shorthand for those is his passer rating. Let's look at another example: Flacco. Flacco is 8-8 and 9-7 the last two years. Does that mean you don't want Flacco? I don't want Flacco, but not because his team has played 500 ball. I don't want him because his passer rating is consistently in the low 80s. HIS TEAM IS 8-8 BECAUSE HE ISN'T VERY GOOD, AS SHOWN BY HIS STATS. Cousins' passer rating is consistently in the top 10 in the league, Flacco around 20. I get that some of you don't like Flacco for one reason or another, but it makes no sense to say he isn't good enough because he hasn't won in the NFL. If that's your argument, then the only to get a quarterback is to draft one, start him for four years or less until you decide he can't win in the NFL and then draft another one. Good luck with that.

Man, I'd be pissed BIG TIME if Brady retired and Cousins went to New England.

Maybe you can link to it again. And there's an ESPN article from late last year. If people would read these descriptions of who Cousins is, I think they will begin to see. Cousins thinks about the game and about how to achieve success in what seems to be the same way McDermott thinks about it. That can be a powerful combination, coach and quarterback committed to the same process to achieve success.

The past is past, but you're right. Mahomes, Watson, Prescott, Wilson, Garappolo, Cousins and I'm probably missing a few. THe Bills have had some woeful picks and non-picks over the past 10 years. All the more reason to get it right this year.

I think this is a typical fan reaction and doesn't reflect at all how players look at it, except for the star players nearing the end of their careers. Those guys want a team that's poised to win it all, because they see this is their last chance. A guy like Cousins is deliberate and thoughtful. He understands completely that the head coach is the MOST IMPORTANT part of the equation. He understands that winning the Super Bowl two years ago is ancient history, and that the remnants of that teams are not enough to get to the Super Bowl. He understands that every team is being built and rebuilt all the time The team that signs Cousins will sign him not because they think they'll win the Super Bowl next year, although they'd be happy if that happened. The team that signs will do it because they think he can make them competitive for the next six to eight years. Cousins understands exactly the same thing and is looking for the same thing: nice to win it all next season, more important to be on a team that's competitive for the next six to eight. He understands that the head coach, the GM, the owner and the culture are what's important. He's seen multiple years of chaotic change in Washington, and he knows that is not what wins. I'm not saying Denver won't appeal to him. Maybe Denver is his first choice. All I'm saying is that if it is his first choice, it won't be because he thinks Denver is closer to a championship; it'll be because he believes the Denver organization is most likely to be able to compete for multiple championships.

Thanks.

That makes sense, and I'm not arguing, because I don't know, but if Denver gave them a compensatory pick in order to talk to Cousins early, wouldn't that trade have to be announced? It's a deal - I let you talk to Cousins early, and if you sign him I get your X pick. That's a trade, and trades have to be reported to the league. The reason this sounds fishy to me is that the rules are set up to keep the free agency playing field level. To have all of this happening in secret, to have Denver just announce sometime "we had a deal with Washington to talk to Cousins early and we've reached a deal with Cousins and he's going to sign with us" doesn't seem at all how the free agent market is supposed to work.

Thanks. That makes sense. I'm not sold on Cousins, but I don think he's the best option to build a winner in the short term. Not a 100% option, but a better way to go considering all the variables. I'm just guessing about the midwest, but there's a lot of evidence suggesting it could be true. And I'm not interested in him because I think he's a Hall of Famer. I don't think he is. I think it's a mistake to say no to every candidate who isn't a certifiable Hall of Famer. You'll be waiting forever. I'm fine if you don't think he's good enough. There's a lot of evidence to support that belief.

He's not an unrestricted free agent until the period ends for the Redskins to franchise him. I think that's early March. Until then, he is exclusively Washington property. As others have said, he only can talk to other teams if the Redskins gave him permission, which may have happened. However, it's interesting that if Washington gave him permission, say, a week ago, that that information didn't leak out.

I would also expect Cousins to do his search more deliberately than this. Washington didn't tell him to look for a deal until they locked up Smith, at least I wouldn't think so, so that means Cousins made a decision really fast. Maybe he knew all along.

Thanks. Those are both good points. But can he get traded if he isn't under contract for 2018? He isn't under contract until he's franchised and he's signed. It may be true, but it seems kind of odd in this situation.

I don't get it. Did the Redskins cut Cousins? If not, he can't be talking to Denver; it violates his contract with Washington. It's tampering. And if they DID cut him, doesn't Denver talking to him violate the free agency rules? What am I missing?

Look, are we having a conversation, or are you just arguing because you like to argue? Yes, Kelly wasn't committed to Buffalo and it worked out okay. But the Bills OWNED THE RIGHTS to Kelly, and if Kelly wanted to play in the NFL he HAD to play in Buffalo. If he had been a free agent, he never would have signed in Buffalo. Cousins is completely different. He IS or will be a free agent, so the fact that he doesn't feel a commitment to Washington is a big deal. I don't care if you lived in the midwest and didn't like it. You aren't on the shortlist of QBs the Bills are interested in. Cousins is the one who matters, and he's a down-to-earth, hard-working midwest boy. Born there, raised there, went to high school and college there. I'm guessing he doesn't like the east. And, as someone else pointed out, the Redskins didn't exactly show him a lot of love when they talked contract. You asked me how can he be that good if Washington is giving up on him, and I answered - because he doesn't want to be there, not because Washington doesn't want him. Your response? Why is Washington giving up on him? Come up with something better.

You have to read other things I've written at length. First, there's no way Cousins isn't better than Taylor. He's a pocket passer with enough mobility as a guy needs these days. His numbers have been significantly better than Taylor's for three years. His three-year numbers are top 10 in the league. Second, he fits the McDermott philosophy. He's smart, hard working, believes that winning is a process and he's personally dedicated to process. He's the kind of guy who in a system with five-year continuity will get better each year, because he learns more and more. Washington is dumping him because he doesn't want to be there. They mismanaged their relationship with him, and I suspect he's told them he'll listen to their offer but he's certainly going to listen to others. Translation: if your offer isn't the very best, I'm leaving for someplace that suits me better. I don't know any of that, but that's my sense. He's a hard-working midwest guy who isn't at home in east coast bull ****. I think he wants out. So it's not so much that Washington doesn't want him, but they aren't willing to invest in a guy who isn't committed to them.

I don't think that McB will be regular big spenders in free agency. I think they want to grow their own talent by getting players in the draft, undrafted rookies, guys off practice squads. Hyde's about as high as I expect them to go for free agents. I expect their free agent spending will be on role players. Except QB. They might spend big on a QB. So that makes me think that they don't need to blow up the roster except to the extent that they need cap room to buy a QB, if they go that route. You certainly don't want to unload serviceable players to create cap room that you don't really want to use. And that then makes me think that they're not unloading guys whose cap savings are under $4 million. Why move a guy who's useful to you if you don't need the room. Seems to me Taylor, Glenn and Clay are the guys who are at risk.

It looks exactly the same to me. I'm going to have to make a big bet somewhere, and I think Cousins is the best bet.

I don't think so. I don't think Smith is any better Cousins, and I don't think he plays the style that McB wants, although admittedly no one knows for sure what they want. If you believe they like Peterman's style of play, Cousins is a good Peterman, and Smith is a good Taylor. Plus, Smith won't want to be someone's bridge to a bright young rookie. That's what he was in KC this year. He'll want a quick ride to the top. If Minnesota really is in the market, Smith is perfect for them, and they're perfect for him. Plus, Smith costs $20 million for 2018, which means you're eating more cap room than if you just keep Taylor. Granted, Smith is a better QB, by why spend $20 million to get someone who isn't your future. I don't see these guys using a bandaid approach.

I think this is seriously wrong. There aren't enough to go around. When you find one that you think is the right guy, you pay him what it costs, and you don't pass on him because you think it costs too much. If you cheap out at QB, you get a cheap QB, and he's not taking you anywhere.

And Carolina wrote a big check for Cam, while they both were there. I know all three QBs were already on the team, and that made less risky than a free agent, but the point is that if those teams are McBeane's models, all three have spent big bucks on QBs. (By the way, as a complete aside, I believe Kraft and Brady have a handshake deal that Brady is going to get paid some big dollars after he retires, doing public appearances or bein a consultant or something. Wait and see.) So I'm not going to be surprised if they write a big check for a free agent. They know what QBs cost. As for Taylor, I hear you, but I don't think the total dollars are what matter. It's the 2018 cap hit. 2019 they can afford the hit. I'm betting the Bills will be serious contenders for Cousins, or maybe Bridgewater or possibly Bradford. I don't think they'll have any interest in trading up, and I don't think they'll like the uncertainty of pinning the next two or three years on an unproven rookie taken in the first or second round, along with a guy who is placeholder. I think McBeane are actively building, and they'll want their QB of the future on board in 2018 if they can get him So I'm expecting they'll write a big check to someone.

Do you think the Jets are in a better position going forward than the Bills? I'd call them about even, but I don't really know. My guess is the Cousins doesn't like living in DC and wouldn't like NYC. My guess is he'd like to get back to the midwest. Really depends on whether they fall in love with anyone. If they fall in love with Cousins, they pay a fortune and get him. Fall in love with Darnold, pay a fortune in picks to move up. Anyone's guess.

The flow of consistent dead money results from two things: Some mistakes and turnover in the front office. When you have four head coaches in six years, and three GMs, there are going to be changes, and changes created dead cap money. I think the Pegulas hired Beane and McDermott for the long term, and getting to the playoffs in 2017 makes them pretty secure for the next two years and probably three. If they drop a bundle on Cousins and he doesn't bust, the dead space will end, because there won't be a lot of other big contracts. Dareus and Watkins are gone, Clay and McCoy will have run out.

Don't get me wrong. I'd like to keep Cordy. I don't have a problem with him. And I don't need know if they need to move him in order to have room for Cousins. All I'm saying is that if the Bills want Cousins and if they need cap room, I don't think they'll have any problem deciding to move him. I don't think, for example, that Beane would agree with you that Cordy is a "steal" at that price. I think he'd tell you that difference between what he gives you and what a $3 million tackle gives you isn't worth $4 million. I think he'd tell you that their are only about five offensive tackles in the league he'd ever consider "steals" at some price; the rest of them aren't special enough to worry make them worth a premium over completely ordinary talent. I think he'd tell you he'd just as soon have a $35 million QB who's really good and have 52 guys worth $3 million a piece. I don't think he'd lose any sleep over losing Glenn.