***2026 Minnesota Vikings***

[AuH2O]

2023 QB Earnings

Cousins is ranked #14 in average QB salaries though. People who have a higher average salary than Cousins include Herbert, Wilson, Murray, Watson, Jones, Stafford, and Carr.

When you look out at 2025 and on, some of the cap hits for most of these other guys, it's insane. Most of these guys ina couple years are going to start having 55-70M cap hits in a season! As a comp, Kirks will be about $20 this year.

Hey - I love Jalen Hurts as a franchise QB when he's got a $6M cap hit. The last year that the Eagles are locked into with him that cap hit is $54M. I love Justin Herbert with an $8M cap hit, but in his last locked in year at $71M? Not so sure.

If you have good QB on a <$10M cap hit, it would take utter incompetence to not have a good roster. If you have a good QB on a $54M cap hit, it takes elite GM work to have a good roster around the QB.

 

[AuH2O]

The 49ers have definitely built a system that isn't wholly dependent on a star QB, but I don't doubt for a second that Kyle Shanahan wouldn't kill for a top 5 QB even if it meant required sacrificing other parts of the roster. If he didn't, they never would have wasted the draft capital to get Trey Lance.

True - but if they had been right about Lance (they weren't) draft capital hurts, but if you can get a top 10 QB while on a rookie deal you do it.

I don't think he would sacrifice what it takes to get a veteran top 5 QB given what that cap hit does to a roster. Losing draft picks sucks. But losing ability to hang on to proven veterans because you can't pay them is far worse.

 

[JM4CY]

 

[Cyhig]

When you look out at 2025 and on, some of the cap hits for most of these other guys, it's insane. Most of these guys ina couple years are going to start having 55-70M cap hits in a season! As a comp, Kirks will be about $20 this year.

Hey - I love Jalen Hurts as a franchise QB when he's got a $6M cap hit. The last year that the Eagles are locked into with him that cap hit is $54M. I love Justin Herbert with an $8M cap hit, but in his last locked in year at $71M? Not so sure.

If you have good QB on a <$10M cap hit, it would take utter incompetence to not have a good roster. If you have a good QB on a $54M cap hit, it takes elite GM work to have a good roster around the QB.

Very true. Of course every team wants quality players at cheap prices. But let's look at the 2023 cap hit

QB	2023 Cap Hit
Patrick Mahomes	39,693,381
Ryan Tannehill	36,600,000
Jared Goff	30,975,000
Dak Prescott	26,832,647
Jimmy Garoppolo	23,800,000
Lamar Jackson	22,150,000
Russell Wilson	22,000,000
Daniel Jones	21,750,000
Kirk Cousins	20,250,000
Matthew Stafford	20,000,000

There are quite a few teams with a bigger issue with QB performance in respect to the cap hit for this year. If Cousins were to resign next year with the same 20.25M cap hit, he would be ranked #14 in the 2024 QB cap hit.

My point being, of course it would be great to have cousins with a $10-15M cap hit instead of $20M. But it seems to me there are plenty of other QB's less talented than Cousins who are taking an even higher cap hit this year and next year

 

[drmwevr08]

I wouldn't want anyone else. I wondered why I was getting blessed with he and Ben.

 

[houjix]

Very true. Of course every team wants quality players at cheap prices. But let's look at the 2023 cap hit

QB	2023 Cap Hit
Patrick Mahomes	39,693,381
Ryan Tannehill	36,600,000
Jared Goff	30,975,000
Dak Prescott	26,832,647
Jimmy Garoppolo	23,800,000
Lamar Jackson	22,150,000
Russell Wilson	22,000,000
Daniel Jones	21,750,000
Kirk Cousins	20,250,000
Matthew Stafford	20,000,000

There are quite a few teams with a bigger issue with QB performance in respect to the cap hit for this year. If Cousins were to resign next year with the same 20.25M cap hit, he would be ranked #14 in the 2024 QB cap hit.

My point being, of course it would be great to have cousins with a $10-15M cap hit instead of $20M. But it seems to me there are plenty of other QB's less talented than Cousins who are taking an even higher cap hit this year and next year

Cousins cap hit was supposed to be $36 million this season until they shenaniganed some of the dollars into the future.

 

[Cyhig]

Cousins cap hit was supposed to be $36 million this season until they shenaniganed some of the dollars into the future.

Cousins Contract restructured in March 2023

 

[Kurttr]

I don't think Kirk is great, and I think the odds of winning a SB with him are tiny. I think he's like almost every QB that need a good team around him to win. He can't have one of the worst two defenses in the league like last year, but that's not too unique. The last two years they played a ton of tight games, and he was as good as anyone in the league at engineering tying and go-ahead drives, but their defense was absolutely the worst in stopping those types of drives two years ago. Defense sucked last year but came up with some stops when they needed them, and they win 13.

Prior to last year Kirk was way overpaid. But last year, what they'll pay him this year, and probably what they could get him the next couple years, he's probably not overpaid. So I'm just saying the fact that the first few years of Kirk's contract being bad doesn't mean it's a bad idea to keep him as QB given what his salary will be and relative to other QBs in the next couple of years.

I'm just pointing out that a QB like Joe Burrow is considered a top 3 or 5 guy, and a gamer when his production in playoff games has been as identical to Cousins' as you can get. You want to chalk it up to fake stats, fine, but I'd like to know the winning percentage difference of QBs when their defenses give up 18.9 ppg vs. 28.3.

I think there's this misconception that teams like the Bengals, Eagles, Chargers, and Bills are set for years because they have good young QBs. Allen's on his second contract but his cap hit is going to start exploding in the next couple years. The other teams are going to have to face the reality of paying their franchise QB actual franchise QB money. Short of either some miracle drafting or some extreme Rams-like mortgaging of their futures to make one huge cap-destroying run, these are the best rosters Burrow, Hurts, Herbert and Allen will play with this coming season.

So do I think Minn will win a SB with Kirk? No. But I think that's also the case for about any veteran QB because that's how the league works. The rosters of the Eagles, Bengals and Chargers are going to get wrecked in the next couple of seasons as the QB cap hit gets massive. It's kind of what sucks in my opinion about the NFL now. The formula to win is:
- Draft a great rookie QB and win while he's on his rookie deal
- Destroy your cap in the future to try to put together one big push with a veteran team
- Have Patrick Mahomes

While mostly what I love about the 49ers success is Purdy, I also love the fact that they are an outlier and had success building a great roster around the QB.

I think we probably agree on a lot. Kirk brings a high floor and a low ceiling. I’m just not interested in that trade-off. Guarantees mediocrity. I’d rather take the chance on getting a young QB and developing top DL & OL. The Vikings have mortgaged their lot on Kirk and then other positions that should come after the lines - e.g., spending big $ on both Kendricks and Barr wasn’t wise, as was spending big $ on Kirk, especially when they re-upped with him when they knew clearly what he is.

 

[AuH2O]

I think we probably agree on a lot. Kirk brings a high floor and a low ceiling. I’m just not interested in that trade-off. Guarantees mediocrity. I’d rather take the chance on getting a young QB and developing top DL & OL. The Vikings have mortgaged their lot on Kirk and then other positions that should come after the lines - e.g., spending big $ on both Kendricks and Barr wasn’t wise, as was spending big $ on Kirk, especially when they re-upped with him when they knew clearly what he is.

I think that’s pretty much the choice. You’re for ripping off the bandaid, and that makes sense.

But I think that probably means saying goodbye to JJ as a UFA. I also think it’s POSSIBLE that this is kind of the opposite of a lot of these QB contracts with escalating cap hits. Vikes ate some big cap hits early, but now he’s playing his best and doesn’t have a big cap hit.

 

[Cyhig]

I think that’s pretty much the choice. You’re for ripping off the bandaid, and that makes sense.

But I think that probably means saying goodbye to JJ as a UFA. I also think it’s POSSIBLE that this is kind of the opposite of a lot of these QB contracts with escalating cap hits. Vikes ate some big cap hits early, but now he’s playing his best and doesn’t have a big cap hit.

Vikings will prioritize signing JJ over any QB. JJ is the face of the franchise, and is the most marketable person on the team.

I think the Vikings may sign cousins to a one year deal for the 2024 season at a reduced price. Cousins is in his late 30’s and his production will likely fall soon. This will buy time for the team to draft a qb this coming draft.

 

[Al_4_State]

He’s a treasure

 

[Mr Janny]

Just read that Dalvin Cook signing with the Jets, should give the Vikings a $2 million cap credit for 2024, due to the offset language in his contract. Every little bit helps, especially with Hock and JJettas looking at new contracts.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Anyone know why it appears the Vikings are playing so few of their starters while other teams are mostly having their studs play at least a drive or two?

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Anyone know why it appears the Vikings are playing so few of their starters while other teams are mostly having their studs play at least a drive or two?

Because literally if anyone gets hurt we are ******. Our depth is awful.

 

[somecyguy]

Another year of trotting out Udoh and expecting different results.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Because literally if anyone gets hurt we are ******. Our depth is awful.

Ok, thanks .

 

[cyfan92]

Another year of trotting out Udoh and expecting different results.

Is pretty noticable the gap between starters and bench players on the lines, in the NFL.. Although, it does feel like less of a drop on the d-line for most teams.

Offensive line must be really hard to find quality across the league

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Anyone know why it appears the Vikings are playing so few of their starters while other teams are mostly having their studs play at least a drive or two?

I think they did this last year as well. Years ago the preseason was for the players to get into game shape. The vast majority of these guys come into training camp ready to go.
Preseason games are now a last ditch effort for players on the fence to show they are worth a spot on the final roster or practice squad.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

I think they did this last year as well. Years ago the preseason was for the players to get into game shape. The vast majority of these guys come into training camp ready to go.
Preseason games are now a last ditch effort for players on the fence to show they are worth a spot on the final roster or practice squad.

Thanks for info. I guess I was just noticing that other teams are playing their starters for a series or two, and so far, the Vikings have not.

 

[moores2]

Thanks for info. I guess I was just noticing that other teams are playing their starters for a series or two, and so far, the Vikings have not.

I think the growth of the cross practices with other teams has replaced preseason for starters. Have the ability to go live against other opponents (with less risk of injury to QB, RB, etc) while still getting somewhat similar game reps. Get all your mojo from the practices and have 0 risk of injury in a preseason game where guys are hitting hard trying to get a roster spot.