*** OFFICAL COMPREHENSIVE OFF-SEASON THREAD***

[mlhouse]

I like a lot of this.

In regards to Cousins, per Spotrac, a pre 6/1/20 trade would result in a 2021 dead cap hit of $20M. Releasing Cousins this offseason would be a 2021 dead cap hit of $41M, as you mentioned. Even more if after 6/1/21. Fast forward to 2022, a pre 6/1/21 trade or release would only be a 2022 dead cap hit of $10M. I think it's safe to assume Cousins is here for 2021.

I'm still in favor of drafting a QB in the 1st this year and having him sit behind Cousins. Yes, we all know how putrid both sides of the trenches are, but we have to ask ourselves, are the Vikings going to be picking better than 14th in 2022 and/or is the QB draft class stronger than this years?

I believe Spotrac has wrong data for Cousins with respect to the 2022 season. If the Vikings released Cousins at any time in 2022, and assuming they did not renegotiate his contract, it would not matter when they released Cousins and his cap hit would be $45 million in either case: his $35 million base salary that guarantees on 3/20/2021 (the 3rd league day of the 2021 season) and the allocated part of his signing, $10 million.

In general, a post-6/1 release means that the team absorbs all of the guaranteed salary remaining in the contract but only the allocated part of the signing bonus for that season. All remaining signing bonus is absorbed on the cap the following season. If you release a player before 6/1 then ALL of the remaining deadcap of the contract is allocated to the current salary cap year.

The Vikings really need to work on a restructured Cousins deal, but Cousins has significant leverage in those negotiations. Cut me and pay me $21 million ad I will then get another $20+ million from another team or don't cut me and pay me $21 million in 2021 and then $35 million in 2022.

I think it will take about $12 million in new bonus payment in 2021 to buy him out of the 2022 guarantee (deferring it until the 3rd league day of 2022). But again, Kirk has lots of leverage in that negotiation.

[RubeTube]

Talk of Miami moving on from Tua and taking a QB with the Houston pick.

I contend if you are going to be a running team, you should have a QB with some mobility. Tua would be good in a run first offense. Not sure what it would take to get him, I am assuming a first.

That’s a quick trigger on Tua, but I can’t fault them. I like the top-4 QBs all a lot more than I like Tua.

I wonder what the trade market for Tua would be?


I wonder what they could get for him.

I can't see Miami doing this unless they think Tua sucks already.

Lawrence and Fields are the only guys i would take over him in this draft.

[Postmaster]

I like a lot of this.

In regards to Cousins, per Spotrac, a pre 6/1/20 trade would result in a 2021 dead cap hit of $20M. Releasing Cousins this offseason would be a 2021 dead cap hit of $41M, as you mentioned. Even more if after 6/1/21. Fast forward to 2022, a pre 6/1/21 trade or release would only be a 2022 dead cap hit of $10M. I think it's safe to assume Cousins is here for 2021.

I'm still in favor of drafting a QB in the 1st this year and having him sit behind Cousins. Yes, we all know how putrid both sides of the trenches are, but we have to ask ourselves, are the Vikings going to be picking better than 14th in 2022 and/or is the QB draft class stronger than this years?

I believe Spotrac has wrong data for Cousins with respect to the 2022 season. If the Vikings released Cousins at any time in 2022, and assuming they did not renegotiate his contract, it would not matter when they released Cousins and his cap hit would be $45 million in either case: his $35 million base salary that guarantees on 3/20/2021 (the 3rd league day of the 2021 season) and the allocated part of his signing, $10 million.

In general, a post-6/1 release means that the team absorbs all of the guaranteed salary remaining in the contract but only the allocated part of the signing bonus for that season. All remaining signing bonus is absorbed on the cap the following season. If you release a player before 6/1 then ALL of the remaining deadcap of the contract is allocated to the current salary cap year.

The Vikings really need to work on a restructured Cousins deal, but Cousins has significant leverage in those negotiations. Cut me and pay me $21 million ad I will then get another $20+ million from another team or don't cut me and pay me $21 million in 2021 and then $35 million in 2022.

I think it will take about $12 million in new bonus payment in 2021 to buy him out of the 2022 guarantee (deferring it until the 3rd league day of 2022). But again, Kirk has lots of leverage in that negotiation.

Shoot. That doesn't make me feel better about the Cousins situation. You're right, Kirk has massive leverage here. Kudos to him and his agent.

That extension this past off-season is looking worse and worse by the day. Easily could've been out of his horrible contract, albeit without Anthony Harris this past year as well. Hindsight is always 20/20 I suppose.

[mlhouse]

I like a lot of this.

In regards to Cousins, per Spotrac, a pre 6/1/20 trade would result in a 2021 dead cap hit of $20M. Releasing Cousins this offseason would be a 2021 dead cap hit of $41M, as you mentioned. Even more if after 6/1/21. Fast forward to 2022, a pre 6/1/21 trade or release would only be a 2022 dead cap hit of $10M. I think it's safe to assume Cousins is here for 2021.

I'm still in favor of drafting a QB in the 1st this year and having him sit behind Cousins. Yes, we all know how putrid both sides of the trenches are, but we have to ask ourselves, are the Vikings going to be picking better than 14th in 2022 and/or is the QB draft class stronger than this years?

I believe Spotrac has wrong data for Cousins with respect to the 2022 season. If the Vikings released Cousins at any time in 2022, and assuming they did not renegotiate his contract, it would not matter when they released Cousins and his cap hit would be $45 million in either case: his $35 million base salary that guarantees on 3/20/2021 (the 3rd league day of the 2021 season) and the allocated part of his signing, $10 million.

In general, a post-6/1 release means that the team absorbs all of the guaranteed salary remaining in the contract but only the allocated part of the signing bonus for that season. All remaining signing bonus is absorbed on the cap the following season. If you release a player before 6/1 then ALL of the remaining deadcap of the contract is allocated to the current salary cap year.

The Vikings really need to work on a restructured Cousins deal, but Cousins has significant leverage in those negotiations. Cut me and pay me $21 million ad I will then get another $20+ million from another team or don't cut me and pay me $21 million in 2021 and then $35 million in 2022.

I think it will take about $12 million in new bonus payment in 2021 to buy him out of the 2022 guarantee (deferring it until the 3rd league day of 2022). But again, Kirk has lots of leverage in that negotiation.

Shoot. That doesn't make me feel better about the Cousins situation. You're right, Kirk has massive leverage here. Kudos to him and his agent.

That extension this past off-season is looking worse and worse by the day. Easily could've been out of his horrible contract, albeit without Anthony Harris this past year as well. Hindsight is always 20/20 I suppose.

I am pretty certain that Cousins guaranteed money does not contain any offset provisions (this would reduce his guarantee by the amount another team signed him), but I am not 100% certain. Kirk Cousin's agent is pretty good at mximizing the value to his client so I doubt they agreed to such provisions.

That means if the Vikings do not play his game he can just force them to release him or eat his 2022 guarantee of $35 million. If there is no offset, then if the Vikings released him Cousins would collect $21 million from the Vikings. A team like the 49ERS could easily guarantee him $60 million over 2021 and 2022. Then the Vikings need to eat $41 million on the cap PLUS SIGN A REPLACEMENT QUARterBACK.

So, while I hope they can restructure, Cousins has lots of leverage. He is too good to let go, it is expensive to let him go, he has significant market value over the near term.

In the end, I think I have talked myself into switching the idea that we can restructure his deal. It might not be possible and we might just have to eat the fucking 2022 base.

[Angry Waters]

Game plan 2021-2022 season:

Get a starting OT, DE, G, DT via draft and Free agency. Cut a few vets, extend a few.

Pretty much this. And don't forget an overhaul to the special teams--kicker (maybe), legit kick/punt returner, etc...