quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

quote:

ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: thebigo

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's a video showing Cousins running out of the pocket in Washington and suggesting that he do more of that as a Viking.

https://twitter.com/OstoyicKyle/status/1277116914419093504?s=20

no...i don't see him running any more than he does now...he's the type of runner that will get himself hurt...he puts himself in a position to take harder shots than he should - he can't avoid hard hits....

he runs awkwardly and stiff - it's just not natural for him....

He has 198 career carries. How many times has he been hurt?

no one is ever going to convince me that encouraging cousins to run more is a good idea...i've been re-watching most of 2019 games in condensed version and cousins seems to take a hard hit almost every time he runs the ball - he's got kyle rudolph's speed and quickness, and he's an 'awkward' slider, too....

I wonder how much different the season would have ended up had Cousins ran for the first down instead of sliding against KC. IMO one of his two worst plays of the year with the end zone INT against the Pukers.

If cousins doesn’t Have a wide open space in front of him, he is completely incapable of Making the play....

It is really weird too....when we signed Cousins he was top 5 in QB rushing yards and Rushing TDs for QBs the previous 3 years.....

quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: kgdabom

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: thebigo

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's a video showing Cousins running out of the pocket in Washington and suggesting that he do more of that as a Viking.

https://twitter.com/OstoyicKyle/status/1277116914419093504?s=20

no...i don't see him running any more than he does now...he's the type of runner that will get himself hurt...he puts himself in a position to take harder shots than he should - he can't avoid hard hits....

he runs awkwardly and stiff - it's just not natural for him....

He has 198 career carries. How many times has he been hurt?

no one is ever going to convince me that encouraging cousins to run more is a good idea...i've been re-watching most of 2019 games in condensed version and cousins seems to take a hard hit almost every time he runs the ball - he's got kyle rudolph's speed and quickness, and he's an 'awkward' slider, too....

I wonder how much different the season would have ended up had Cousins ran for the first down instead of sliding against KC. IMO one of his two worst plays of the year with the end zone INT against the Pukers.

If cousins doesn’t Have a wide open space in front of him, he is completely incapable of Making the play....

It is really weird too....when we signed Cousins he was top 5 in QB rushing yards and Rushing TDs for QBs the previous 3 years.....

Is that true?

He did have 13 rushing TDs the previous 3 seasons, but I can't imagine there were not more than 4 QBs that had more than 323 yards over that 3 year span.

quote:

Recently, an actual living, breathing analytics expert used her data to illustrate why Cook is one of the most deserving players in the entire NFL when it comes to getting a new contract.

Analytics suggest an extension for Dalvin Cook is an urgent matter for the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund recently released her list of the 10 players around the league who most-deserve new deals from their teams.

To come up with her rankings, Frelund used data from her win-share model and, “forward-looking projections to estimate future win impact.” She also included how much a new contract should be a priority for each player’s team based on a scale from one to 10 with 10 being the most urgent.

After Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott took up the first three spots on the list, Cook popped up as the fourth-most deserving. He and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints (tied for sixth-most deserving) are the only two running backs to appear on Frelund’s rankings.

Frelund gave the Minnesota running back a deal-priority ranking of seven and she stated that his yards after contact and yards after the catch numbers were two big factors in him placing so high on the list.

To further support Cook’s ranking, she included the fact that his 73 rushes where he reached a speed of at least 15 miles per hour were the most of any running back in the NFL last season and his 10 trips to the end zone on run plays that saw him rush on the outside of his offensive tackles were also tied for the most in the league last year.

Later on, in Frelund’s explanation for putting Kamara on the list, she threw a little shade at her analytics colleagues when she stated that, “I know many ‘analytics’ people say not to pay a running back, but I would amend that to say no position should be overpaid — and no players should be devalued just by virtue of the position they play.”

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ORIGINAL: Funkytown

VA: Analytics expert says Dalvin Cook among most deserving of a new deal

quote:

Recently, an actual living, breathing analytics expert used her data to illustrate why Cook is one of the most deserving players in the entire NFL when it comes to getting a new contract.

Analytics suggest an extension for Dalvin Cook is an urgent matter for the Minnesota Vikings.

NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund recently released her list of the 10 players around the league who most-deserve new deals from their teams.

To come up with her rankings, Frelund used data from her win-share model and, “forward-looking projections to estimate future win impact.” She also included how much a new contract should be a priority for each player’s team based on a scale from one to 10 with 10 being the most urgent.

After Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott took up the first three spots on the list, Cook popped up as the fourth-most deserving. He and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints (tied for sixth-most deserving) are the only two running backs to appear on Frelund’s rankings.

Frelund gave the Minnesota running back a deal-priority ranking of seven and she stated that his yards after contact and yards after the catch numbers were two big factors in him placing so high on the list.

To further support Cook’s ranking, she included the fact that his 73 rushes where he reached a speed of at least 15 miles per hour were the most of any running back in the NFL last season and his 10 trips to the end zone on run plays that saw him rush on the outside of his offensive tackles were also tied for the most in the league last year.

Later on, in Frelund’s explanation for putting Kamara on the list, she threw a little shade at her analytics colleagues when she stated that, “I know many ‘analytics’ people say not to pay a running back, but I would amend that to say no position should be overpaid — and no players should be devalued just by virtue of the position they play.”

Link:

https://thevikingage.com/2020/06/28/analytics-dalvin-cook-minnesota-vikings-new-deal/

quote:

ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

https://www.dailynorseman.com/2020/6/28/21306398/pro-football-focus-anthony-harris-harrison-smith-nfls-best-safety-duo-minnesota-vikings

https://www.dailynorseman.com/2020/6/28/21306384/more-hype-hercules-mataafa-minnesota-vikings-andre-patterson

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ORIGINAL: TJSweens

As a full time starter in Washington, Cousins ran for 48, 96 and 179 yards. In 2 years with the Vikings it was 123 and 63. I don't see a significant difference.

It probably has as much to do with scheme as anything else.

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

There are simply too many options to keep Reiff at tackle or even on the team. Even if Ezra is not ready at the start of the season, Hill is better on the left side and could start the season, transitioning like we did with ONeil. If Udoh is ready, we can move Oneil to the left side and insert Udoh.

We've been cap strapped for two years. A stagnant cap (or worse) and Cousins cap hit rising the next few years, we will need the 23M. I'm more than ok with the Tackles learning on the job. Reiff is not irreplaceable. Is average at best, and there is a risk of decline.

You might be right, but the cap relief from cutting Reiff is very modest. I heard it speculated that he could be pressured to take a pay cut before the season begins, especially if he will not be a starter. I'm also thinking that he might be a better guard than LT, but I again I am just speculating. It's all up in the air.

I'm not a fan personally of making wholesale changes along the offensive line especially with a limited of-season. But it's not my call. Zimmer doesn't ask for my opinion.

I don't consider 23M modest. I consider it substantial. Didn't you post that the cap could be cut 40M next year (because of COVID)? With Reiff gone, we'd be under even a reduced cap and in a great position to sign some very talented player(s). A team like NO would have to cut some studs. I think Reiff at guard would be an abject failure like Remmers - I have zero confidence in that move.

ONeil/Collins/Hill have been in the same system for several years, Bradbury/Samia/Udoh - this would be their second year. Only player that this would be their first is Ezra, and we have options in case he's not ready.

There's no rush to cut Reiff, we can wait until the first game of the season (I think) before his contract becomes guaranteed.

Be interesting to see it play out.

this conversation started because there's talk that the Vikes are negotiating a trade; reiff for desmond king (CB) chargers...that's why reiff disappears - we would still have a cap savings of $6-9m this season, depending on post-June trade rules which i know nothing about....

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I was trying to think if there was another player like Mata'afa and the only one I could think of was John Randle. I found this about Randle and it's a story I never heard before.

Randle was told by the Vikings that he would only be picked up if he came back with his weight over 250 lbs, but he was at 244 lbs, so when he was weighed he hid a chain under his sweats to get his weight up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Randle

I saw another reference listing Randle's playing weight at 287. Does that sound right? He must have gained weight like Mata'afa, but I'm not sure.

We probably talked about this before, but do you agree that they are very comparable?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Phil Riewer

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: kgdabom

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: thebigo

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ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's a video showing Cousins running out of the pocket in Washington and suggesting that he do more of that as a Viking.

https://twitter.com/OstoyicKyle/status/1277116914419093504?s=20

no...i don't see him running any more than he does now...he's the type of runner that will get himself hurt...he puts himself in a position to take harder shots than he should - he can't avoid hard hits....

he runs awkwardly and stiff - it's just not natural for him....

He has 198 career carries. How many times has he been hurt?

no one is ever going to convince me that encouraging cousins to run more is a good idea...i've been re-watching most of 2019 games in condensed version and cousins seems to take a hard hit almost every time he runs the ball - he's got kyle rudolph's speed and quickness, and he's an 'awkward' slider, too....

I wonder how much different the season would have ended up had Cousins ran for the first down instead of sliding against KC. IMO one of his two worst plays of the year with the end zone INT against the Pukers.

If cousins doesn’t Have a wide open space in front of him, he is completely incapable of Making the play....

It is really weird too....when we signed Cousins he was top 5 in QB rushing yards and Rushing TDs for QBs the previous 3 years.....

He's got the big contract now and he doesn't want to get hurt, I guess. If you're a Viking receiver you have to know not to give up on a play because Cousins is always thinking of passing.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

quote:

ORIGINAL: thebigo

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

Here's a video showing Cousins running out of the pocket in Washington and suggesting that he do more of that as a Viking.

https://twitter.com/OstoyicKyle/status/1277116914419093504?s=20

no...i don't see him running any more than he does now...he's the type of runner that will get himself hurt...he puts himself in a position to take harder shots than he should - he can't avoid hard hits....

he runs awkwardly and stiff - it's just not natural for him....

He has 198 career carries. How many times has he been hurt?

no one is ever going to convince me that encouraging cousins to run more is a good idea...i've been re-watching most of 2019 games in condensed version and cousins seems to take a hard hit almost every time he runs the ball - he's got kyle rudolph's speed and quickness, and he's an 'awkward' slider, too....

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I didn't know this:

In 2017, Aviante Collins ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash by an offensive lineman in NFL combine history.

(Will Ragatz on Twitter)

You would think he would be a good fit for our scheme.

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ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

I didn't know this:

In 2017, Aviante Collins ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash by an offensive lineman in NFL combine history.

(Will Ragatz on Twitter)

You would think he would be a good fit for our scheme.

He probably is Bruce, if he can ever stay on the field he’s hell when well!

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

My favorite Training camp position battle is gonna be at defensive under Tackle-

Lynch
Hercules
Stephen
Holmes

Pretty much the order I have them in, perhaps the top two in-
1
1A

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

My favorite Training camp position battle is gonna be at defensive under Tackle-

Lynch
Hercules
Stephen
Holmes

Pretty much the order I have them in, perhaps the top two in-
1
1A

Where does Watts fit? I thought he looked like the most complete 3 down player at 3T last year and got the second most snaps (without looking it up).

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

My favorite Training camp position battle is gonna be at defensive under Tackle-

Lynch
Hercules
Stephen
Holmes

Pretty much the order I have them in, perhaps the top two in-
1
1A

Where does Watts fit? I thought he looked like the most complete 3 down player at 3T last year and got the second most snaps (without looking it up).

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: ratoppenheimer

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ORIGINAL: Pager

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ORIGINAL: Bruce Johnson

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ORIGINAL: Pager

There are simply too many options to keep Reiff at tackle or even on the team. Even if Ezra is not ready at the start of the season, Hill is better on the left side and could start the season, transitioning like we did with ONeil. If Udoh is ready, we can move Oneil to the left side and insert Udoh.

We've been cap strapped for two years. A stagnant cap (or worse) and Cousins cap hit rising the next few years, we will need the 23M. I'm more than ok with the Tackles learning on the job. Reiff is not irreplaceable. Is average at best, and there is a risk of decline.

You might be right, but the cap relief from cutting Reiff is very modest. I heard it speculated that he could be pressured to take a pay cut before the season begins, especially if he will not be a starter. I'm also thinking that he might be a better guard than LT, but I again I am just speculating. It's all up in the air.

I'm not a fan personally of making wholesale changes along the offensive line especially with a limited of-season. But it's not my call. Zimmer doesn't ask for my opinion.

I don't consider 23M modest. I consider it substantial. Didn't you post that the cap could be cut 40M next year (because of COVID)? With Reiff gone, we'd be under even a reduced cap and in a great position to sign some very talented player(s). A team like NO would have to cut some studs. I think Reiff at guard would be an abject failure like Remmers - I have zero confidence in that move.

ONeil/Collins/Hill have been in the same system for several years, Bradbury/Samia/Udoh - this would be their second year. Only player that this would be their first is Ezra, and we have options in case he's not ready.

There's no rush to cut Reiff, we can wait until the first game of the season (I think) before his contract becomes guaranteed.

Be interesting to see it play out.

this conversation started because there's talk that the Vikes are negotiating a trade; reiff for desmond king (CB) chargers...that's why reiff disappears - we would still have a cap savings of $6-9m this season, depending on post-June trade rules which i know nothing about....

A post June trade would net the same cap savings as Reiff being cut (22.8M). If we can trade Reiff for anything, I'm for it.

If Reiff is ok with a pay cut and a mutual opt out like Griff was - I'm ok with it. I don't know that he's going to take a 5M cut to play guard (which would put him inline with Kline - even though Kline was proven at guard and Reiff is not).

KG - the link I provided shows the cap difference in all the different situations. Unless Overthecap is wrong, a post june cut would net 23M in savings.

Options ranked in my preferred order:
Trade, Outright Cut, Paycut.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Pager

quote:

ORIGINAL: kurt bilben

My favorite Training camp position battle is gonna be at defensive under Tackle-

Lynch
Hercules
Stephen
Holmes

Pretty much the order I have them in, perhaps the top two in-
1
1A

Where does Watts fit? I thought he looked like the most complete 3 down player at 3T last year and got the second most snaps (without looking it up).