Take this with a grain of salt, but Chris Cooley is hearing the Vikings will be offering Kirk Cousins a 3-year, $91 million contract that is fully guaranteed.
https://kfan.iheart.com/featured/vikings-blog/content/2018-03-06-report-vikings-set-to-offer-kirk-cousins-huge-3-year-91mm-deal/
Some context.
Cooley served as NFL mentor to tight ends at the Combine. It's possible he heard something.
Minneapolis beat reporter just on DC radio. He said,
1. Vikings in on Cousins and now managing cap like madmen because they think the bids will be high. They are holding off on extending guys until this is resolved.
2. Zimmer never more than lukewarm on Keenum. Bradford non-starter because of injury problems. They like Bridgewater, but he is a huge ? medically.
I'll add that there has been a lot of Cousins discussion here, obviously, and several have speculated that his main goal is not years and not the highest paycheck. It's to go to a place where he has a reasonable chance to win, and to get a contract fully guaranteed. The latter would be his service to the NFLPA -- that and turning the franchise tag from the owners' life vest to a pair of cement shoes.
This would not be a bad deal from either standpoint. The Vikings would gain cost certainty over a period they are likely to be very good; the contact would have a short tail, which would provide maximum flexibility in out years. The AAV would quickly be eclipsed by the Rodgers and Flynn extensions, and would be 3.2 MM less than Cousins current franchise tag number
For Cousins, this would add 91 million to the 44 million he has made the past 2 years. That would be $135 over 5 years -- 27 MM average -- and he'd be 32 yrs old when the contract expires.
