Why I Think the Smart Move is Pay to Get Cousins

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Sure, they might seem like theyd work well together, but Cousins is in the unique position of being able to be picky. If he thinks Washington is a clown show, Buffalo doesnt look much better in their recent and long term history. I dont think McD's 1 year is enough to prove the Bills organization has completely flipped to a perennial winner.

Fair point, but enough $$$ might ease his mind...

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

That's your boxscore assessment. Got it. Congratulations. 

So...nothing? Just more snide? 

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, GoBills808 said:

Fair point, but enough $$$ might ease his mind...

 

No, no it wont. That's my point. He has said that Washington could offer him the largest contract ever and he wouldnt sign there. He's going to make a ton of money no matter where he goes. It's not just about money, he wants to win and be with a well-run FO.

[Scott7975]

2 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Lovely numbers that have netted 24 wins in three seasons. Whoopty Doo!

Which has come full circle of it's a team sport, not a QB sport.

[GoBills808]

Just now, DrDawkinstein said:

 

No, no it wont. That's my point. He has said that Washington could offer him the largest contract ever and he wouldnt sign there. He's going to make a ton of money no matter where he goes. It's not just about money, he wants to win and be with a well-run FO.

But he said that after the Snyder/RG3 thing AND after the Skins tried to low-ball him at $16M a year. He doesn't want to play in Washington anymore, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't go for Buffalo. 

[26CornerBlitz]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

Fair point, but enough $$$ might ease his mind...

So...nothing? Just more snide? 

 

24 wns in three seasons with one playoff appearance. Same as the Bills with him having better offensive personnel, a great system, and better coaching. 

[bobobonators]

1 minute ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

For people in and around the NFL? Heck yes. Multiple Super Bowls with a recent SB victory. Elway at the helm. Denver is a much more respected franchise.

That SB win is looking to be further in the rear view mirror everyday. Its a completely different staff now across the board. Elway is a positive I guess.  But right now and going forward id say the Bills are just as positively situated (if not more so due to the draft picks). Buf also has more cap space than Denver. 

 

X Factor can simply be the city itself or Cousins’ family situation. Maybe they would prefer Den over Buf bc of the city/state. Or AZ bc of the climate. Who knows. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

...signing Cousins would be bigger than the Brinks robberies of the Cutlet ($54 mil guaranteed) and Flacco ($52 mil guaranteed) COMBINED....mediocrity breeds contempt....

[GoBills808]

Just now, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

24 wns in three seasons with one playoff appearance. Same as the Bills with him having better offensive personnel, a great system, and better coaching. 

Thank you. We can disagree on personnel (Clay=Reed IMO, and McCoy>whoever they run out there who isn't injured) but that's at least an articulation of your position that I can respect. As far as wins and playoff appearances go, I don't believe QB wins are a real stat...I only go by individual metrics in evaluating a particular player. Better coaching than the Bills I can get on board with before this year.

[DrDawkinstein]

5 minutes ago, bobobonators said:

That SB win is looking to be further in the rear view mirror everyday. Its a completely different staff now across the board. Elway is a positive I guess.  But right now and going forward id say the Bills are just as positively situated (if not more so due to the draft picks). Buf also has more cap space than Denver. 

 

X Factor can simply be the city itself or Cousins’ family situation. Maybe they would prefer Den over Buf bc of the city/state. Or AZ bc of the climate. Who knows. 

 

You are saying that as a Bills fan, not as someone who has an outside view and mostly superficial perspective like everyone else in the country. The Bills finally broke the longest playoff drought in all of pro sports this year. Great, hurrah. But we've also had 3 HCs in 4 years and a long history of being a 2nd rate franchise.

 

Agreed on AZ climate, the weather and location is always against us as well.

 

edit: wrt Denver, there are still a number of players from that team left over. Most importantly Von Miller. They could easily convince him that they are just a QB away from being back in the hunt. Especially if they didnt have to use that early pick on a QB this year.

Edited January 14, 2018 by DrDawkinstein

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, OldTimeAFLGuy said:

...signing Cousins would be bigger than the Brinks robberies of the Cutlet ($54 mil guaranteed) and Flacco ($52 mil guaranteed) COMBINED....mediocrity breeds contempt....

Flacco and the Ravens won a SB, they were going to pay him whatever he wanted. That's just how it goes, and rightfully so: if you told me within the next 5 years we'd win a championship but be saddled with a monster Cousins contract that would strap us for 7 years...wouldn't you take that deal every day?

Also OldTime, you don't put up Cousins' numbers being mediocre. He's borderline elite IMO. He's just playing on a mediocre team.

[bobobonators]

Just now, DrDawkinstein said:

 

You are saying that as a Bills fan, not as someone who has an outside view and mostly superficial perspective like everyone else in the country. The Bills finally broke the longest playoff drought in all of pro sports this year. Great, hurrah. But we've also had 3 HCs in 4 years and a long history of being a 2nd rate franchise.

 

Agreed on AZ climate, the weather and location is always against us as well.

Im saying that as someone who has never lived in Buffalo. Yeh Im a Bills fan but i dont view myself as jaded. Im well aware of where the Bills stand in NFL history. 

 

All im saying is that its not all about history and a FA should take into account the current state of the organization TODAY. The NFL flips over at the speed of light and what happened 2, 5, 10 or 20 yrs ago is irrelevant going forward. Denver isnt GB or Dal; they dont have that kind of clout.

 

i do get what youre saying though and dont completely disagree. We’ll see. 

[DrDawkinstein]

2 minutes ago, bobobonators said:

Im saying that as someone who has never lived in Buffalo. Yeh Im a Bills fan but i dont view myself as jaded. Im well aware of where the Bills stand in NFL history. 

 

All im saying is that its not all about history and a FA should take into account the current state of the organization TODAY. The NFL flips over at the speed of light and what happened 2, 5, 10 or 20 yrs ago is irrelevant going forward. Denver isnt GB or Dal; they dont have that kind of clout.

 

i do get what youre saying though and dont completely disagree. We’ll see. 

 

Please understand, these arent my opinions. I'm going off of what I've literally heard Cousins say in interviews. I'm digging hard for a link or something in print, but it wasnt too long ago I saw this. He/his agent basically said that it didnt matter how much the offer from Washington was, they weren't going to sign it last year, and they still arent going to sign it this year. And they've seen enough of a poorly run franchise to prioritize moving to a better FO. Much like how Eli refused San Diego for the Giants, and Elway refused the Colts for Denver.

 

Also, I don't think you are giving the Broncos enough credit, and I dont blame you because I used to think that way as well. I was surprised to learn it, but apparently that franchise is incredibly well respected across the Pro Sports world.

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

17 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Flacco and the Ravens won a SB, they were going to pay him whatever he wanted. That's just how it goes, and rightfully so: if you told me within the next 5 years we'd win a championship but be saddled with a monster Cousins contract that would strap us for 7 years...wouldn't you take that deal every day?

Also OldTime, you don't put up Cousins' numbers being mediocre. He's borderline elite IMO. He's just playing on a mediocre team.

 

....respected....differing opinions make this place work......certainly Flacco won A SB, but "what have you done for me lately Joe?" would be my question.....sure it was big money then when he got it, but I'd bet the expectation was "we're paying for another...and....."........

[Shaw66]

I'll jump back in.  A couple of things. 

 

First, to reiterate a point I made earlier, I think there's a difference between overpaying for a QB and overpaying for a position player.   If you pay top 3 money to a receiver or a tackle or a linebacker who turns out to be top 10 at his position, you've overpaid and it was a mistake.    You could have gotten as effective a guy for a lot less.   Like Sammy.   The Bills paid two first round picks plus for a guy who performed like several guys they could have gotten with one pick.   So that was a mistake. 

 

At QB it's different.   If you pay top 3 money for a QB who turns out to be the 10th best QB in the league, it's not a mistake.    You're paying too much, but it isn't a mistake, because you couldn't have gotten another guy who's 10th best.   They just aren't easy to find.  

 

More importantly, if you have the 10th best receiver, or 10th best offensive tackle, that guy isn't on his own putting you in the playoff conversation year in and year out.   If you have the 10th best QB, you are in the conversation.    

 

If you pay top 3 money for a QB and he turns out to be the 15th best AB, then you've made a mistake, because the 15th best QB DOESN'T put you in the playoff discussion.  

 

Yes, whoever gets Cousins will have overpaid for him.   But I think it won't be a mistake. 

 

Second, a lot of the discussion has turned to whether Cousins would come to Buffalo.   Someone said there's an SI article about what he's looking for and how McD is the kind of guy he'd like.  I'll need to go find that article - my sense has been exactly that.   Cousins is a guy who LIKES being in a program, a system, where everyone has a role and where he can do his.    

 

I don't think people should overlook the ability of OBD to sell itself now.   Terry and Kim are a very attractive pair - they're pleasant, warm, charming, and earnest.   The simple fact that they're spending BILLIONS of dollars because they want to do something for Buffalo is pretty impressive.  It speaks to their sincerity.   Then you get to Bean and McDermott, two guys who are interest, deadly serious and committed.   They LOOK like winners.    That's a pretty impressive package.   

 

So I think if the Bills decide that Cousins is someone they want, I think they'll be willing to spend and they'll sell themselves quite well. 

 

The Giants, by virtue of tradition and market, would be formidable competition.   I don't think they'd shy away from the bidding just because they have Eli.  They'd find a way to deal with the cap and compensation issues.   The Giants problem is they don't have a coach, and the team actually is in much more disarray than the Bills.   The Bills offer a stable package going forward; the Giants are up in the air.   

 

The Broncos would seem to be more attractive.   Elway is an attraction.   There probably are other things that might make the Broncos a place he'd like. 

 

But let's go back to the Bills for a minute.   I think there are some other things, intangibles, that might make Buffalo especially attractive to him.   One is the challenge of bringing a championship to the city.    But think about this:

 

Cousins is from Illinois, I think.   He went to high school in Michigan, played at Michigan State, and has played pro ball on the East Coast.   His parents now live in Florida.   I think he's and east coast/midwest guy, and Denver may have little geographic appeal to him.  

 

Moreover, his father's a pastor, he went to a Christian high school, he participated in Athletes in Action in college.   McD and I believe Beane are serious Christians - they don't beat people over the head with it, so far as I can tell, but if Cousins is a serious Christian, there's a good chance he's going to feel a connection to McD.   And having an owner who lives in Florida where is parents live is another connection.  

 

Not saying it's going to happen, but I don't think it's far-fetched.  

[DrDawkinstein]

If Rothlisberger retires, I could see Cousins going to Pittsburgh.

[Royale with Cheese]

30 minutes ago, 26CornerBlitz said:

 

Lovely numbers that have netted 24 wins in three seasons. Whoopty Doo!

 

I’ve read the argument several times that the reason Taylor wasn’t more successful here is because if the defense.... specifically the Rex Ryan years.  Why can’t the same argument be made for Cousins who have had a worse defense?

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

4 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

If Rothlisberger retires, I could see Cousins going to Pittsburgh.

 

 

....Denver wouldn't surprise me....Elway is under a ton of pressure about the QB spot.......why we could trade TT for Brock straight up as well.......

[njbuff]

I'm telling you folks the Giants #2 pick is in play and the Bills can go get it if they think Darnold or Rosen is that franchise guy.

 

If you listen to Paul Dottino, the Giants beat guy who has as big a pulse as anyone on the Giants, says the new GM likes the Giants QB situation now and for the long term (Manning and Webb).

 

The Giants want to build their team and they want more draft picks that can help their cause.

 

The Bills have the ammo to do it and if the Giants think Glenn is healthy, watch out. If the Giants don't trust Glenn being healthy, then the Bills could have a hard tim moving up to 2.

[26CornerBlitz]

8 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I’ve read the argument several times that the reason Taylor wasn’t more successful here is because if the defense.... specifically the Rex Ryan years.  Why can’t the same argument be made for Cousins who have had a worse defense?

 

Their defense has been pretty much on the same level as the Bills.  Aside from that, Cousins isn't a great decision maker and he throws for big yards because of the offense he plays in with a high volume of pass attempts. 

[Shaw66]

Here's the SI article.   Read it and tell me he doesn't sound like McDermott's man.  The two guys live for process. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/11/29/kirk-cousins-washington-redskins-quarterback

 

One more thing.   He won't say it, but I really believe McDermott's role model is Belichick.   Belichick has succeeded with process and nerdy QB - a guy determined to win, determined to prove that everyone was wrong about him.   That sounds like Cousins.