Kirk Cousins - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: Vick, RGIII, Benn, Patriots

September 25th, 2014 at 6:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Some people are calling for Michael Vick in New York, but Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg sounds like he’s sticking with Geno Smith, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. “We’re right in the middle of developing a young quarterback,” Mornhinweg said. “We’ve discussed this. We’re going to go through some ups and downs now. When you go through a little dip, you’ve got to motor through it now.” Even if Smith’s struggles continue, it sounds like Vick will remain at No. 2 on the depth chart. Here’s more from the AFC and NFC East..

Sources tell Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (on Twitter) that there’s no guarantee that the Redskins will hand Robert Griffin III his job back when he returns from injury. Down the line, if Kirk Cousins plays well, one has to imagine that RGIII could become trade fodder for Washington. Of course, Cousins will have to continue to build off of his strong Week 3 showing.
Former Eagles and Buccaneers wide receiver Arrelious Benn (back) has fully recovered from his back injury and will begin working out for teams soon, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Eagles cut Benn with an injury settlement earlier this month. In 37 career NFL games, Benn has 59 catches and 862 receiving yards to his credit.
The Patriots and Bears are looking at former Redskins safety Bacarri Rambo, according to Howard Balzer of USA Today (on Twitter).

Reaction To Sam Bradford’s Season-Ending Injury

August 25th, 2014 at 2:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Rams confirmed yesterday that quarterback Sam Bradford had re-torn his ACL, an injury that will end his season before it begins. It’s a tragic turn for the young QB, and it will force St. Louis to answer many questions in the coming weeks and months. Is Shaun Hill capable of leading a team? Are there better alternatives available? And will Bradford’s contract prevent him from staying with the Rams in 2015? Let’s look at some reactions to the news from around the league:

While Jeff Fisher and the rest of the Rams’ staff will meet to discuss quarterback options available through free agency and trade, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (Twitter link) they hadn’t done so as of yesterday afternoon.
Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that St. Louis might simply be content with Hill, it feels it’s a defensive-oriented team with a strong running game. In fact, the “team believes it has more talent around the QB than [it has] in years.”
Despite reports that there is “no chance” the Eagles trade Mark Sanchez, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that the Rams do want to acquire him, but accept that such move is a longshot. Cole continues, saying that the Rams are also considering Ryan Mallett.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald thinks (on Twitter) that the Rams should call the Dolphins about Matt Moore‘s availability.
Field Yates of ESPN Insider (subscription required) examines the Rams’ options both this year (possible trades for Kirk Cousins or Mike Glennon) and beyond (sticking with Bradford versus drafting a quarterback in 2015).
Regarding Cousins, a source tells Mike Jones and Liz Clarke of the Washington Post that the Redskins are wary of trading Cousins while Robert Griffin III continues to struggle with Jay Gruden’s offense.
Because the Rams can save almost $13MM against the cap in 2015 by releasing Bradford, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes that it’s impossible to conceive him sticking on the Rams after this season.
Bill Barnwell of Grantland agrees, writing that it would be a massive mistake for the Rams to keep Bradford around for next season.
St. Louis might have trouble trading for a quarterback (specifically, a QB’s salary) as they rank last in the NFL with just $1.678MM in cap space, per Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Corry points (on Twitter) to Chris Long and James Laurinaitis as candidates to have their contracts restructured in an effort to free up cap room.

East Notes: Griffin, Brent, Branch

August 24th, 2014 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Parks

Robert Griffin III struggled in the Redskins‘ third preseason game against the Ravens on Saturday night, and that has led to a great deal of chatter as to whether he or backup Kirk Cousins represents the team’s best option under center. Redskins’ legend Joe Theismann weighed in on the conversation in the fourth quarter of last night’s game (as transcribed by Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post) stating:

“Let’s stop beating around the bush. Kirk Cousins has played much better at the quarterback position than Robert Griffin III has…Now, if there was a quarterback competition, it wouldn’t be a competition. Kirk Cousins would be the man I believe [head coach Jay Gruden] would have to go to.”

Theismann continued to sing Cousins’ praises after the game ended. Former Redskin Brian Mitchell, an analyst on the team’s post game show, disagreed with Theismann’s assessment, stating that Griffin, not Cousins, gives Washington the best chance of winning. For what it’s worth, Liz Clarke of the Washington Post writes that Griffin rejects the belief that he has regressed this preseason.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Rich Tandler of CSNWashington.com points out the obvious flaw in Theismann’s analysis, writing that, since there never was a quarterback competition in Redskins camp–Griffin entered the offseason as the undisputed starter–there is no way to determine whether Griffin or Cousins would have won such a competition. If the starting job was up for grabs, Cousins would have had a chance to work with the first team offense against the Ravens’ first-team defense, and no one can say how that would have altered the evaluation.
Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expects a decision from the league regarding a potential suspension for DT Josh Brent “imminently.” Jones has previously stated that the team will have a roster spot for Brent if the NFL allows him to play.
Ebenezer Samuel of the New York Daily News writes that undrafted free agent wideout Corey Washington has had a monster preseason for the Giants and has thrust himself into serious consideration for a roster spot.
Jordan Ranaan of NJ.com tweets that it will be a few days before a final diagnosis is made on Geoff Schwartz, and in a full-length piece Ranaan describes how the Giants might go about replacing him.
In a pair of articles, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post offers a little more on Schwartz, some Giants‘ roster machinations, and he describes the quality performances displayed by a few of the Giants’ younger players.
I rounded up a few Eagles links here.
In the wake of Alan Branch‘s recent arrest, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reexamines the financial ramifications the Bills would face if they were to release Branch.
Marc Sessler of NFL.com writes that Bills coach Doug Marrone is open to shopping for a new backup quarterback. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com wonders (via Twitter) if the team would consider Luke McCown if he is cut by New Orleans, as the Saints and the Bills have a similar offensive system.
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe describes how the new practice squad rules could impact several players on the Patriots‘ roster bubble.
Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe provides a closer look on how the Patriots will pare their roster down to 75 players by Tuesday’s deadline.
The Jets released six players earlier today.

Poll: Best Quarterbacks Available By Trade

August 17th, 2014 at 10:08pm CST by Rob DiRe

There always seems to be a shortage of legitimate quarterbacks to fill the needs of all 32 NFL teams. Some franchises are left searching for a starter every year, while others are left without a viable backup plan in the event that they lose their starter.

With so few quarterbacks to go around, even middling talents can become sought after every offseason. Untapped potential on one team could represent a beacon of hope to another front office or fan base. Sometimes, even the shakiest résumé could seem like an improvement.

The 49ers are having issues finding a backup quarterback at the moment, a scary proposition for any Super Bowl contender. That is only magnified by the fact that their starter, Colin Kaepernick, is known to take off with the football, exposing himself to more open field hits than a traditional pocket passer. The 49ers are built on defense and running the football, and even competent quarterback play could be able to keep them afloat in Kaepernick’s absence.

For that reason, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com suggested (via Twitter) that the team inquire on Vikings‘ quarterback Christian Ponder. Ponder was able to bring a defensive minded Vikings squad to the playoffs in 2012, mostly on the back of Adrian Peterson and his 2,097 rushing yards.

Another option for a team looking for a strong backup, or even a low end starter, would be Eagles‘ quarterback Mark Sanchez. Earlier today Chip Kelly admitted that he wasn’t beyond listening to trade offers for Sanchez. While the former Jets passer is generally considered to have been a disaster during his first stop, it is worth noting that he played with some of the worst offensive weapons in the league. During his rookie and sophomore campaigns, when he had slightly more to work with, Sanchez brought the Jets to the AFC Championship game in both years, making him an intriguing candidate for a trade.

Redskins‘ backup Kirk Cousins has been a leader amongst the trade rumor community, most commonly being linked with his former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in Cleveland. With Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel competing for the Browns’ job, there is no obvious need for Cousins there. Still, his body of work is good enough in a small sample size, and he has not had the time to tarnish his reputation in the same way that Ponder and Sanchez have.

The Patriots also are prepared to move on from Ryan Mallett, making it known so by drafting Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of this past draft. Mallett had a high potential upside coming out in the 2011 draft, but never saw a meaningful snap and is now at the end of his rookie contract. The Patriots would certainly be willing to move him, but could find it difficult to get anything substantial for him.

Most would agree that none of these options represents a savior at quarterback, and all 32 teams are more or less set on their options for a starter in 2014. Even teams that have the least certain options at quarterback, such as the Vikings with Matt Cassel, the Texans with Ryan Fitzpatrick, or the Jets with Geno Smith have reason to pass on making a big move. The Vikings have hope of developing first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater. The Texans have a stopgap in Fitzpatrick, and head coach Bill O’Brien likely does not see any available options markedly better than the journeyman. The Jets have a better in-house option in Michael Vick in the event that Smith does not improve in 2014.

Even still, if a team less prepared to handle an injury to their top passer, these options could become very sought after. Other players, such as Drew Stanton of the Cardinals, Brock Osweiler of the Broncos, and Jason Campbell of the Bengals could also bring interest to a team desperate for some level of quarterback play to get through a rough patch. These players will likely not be seen as franchise quarterbacks to any team, but a front office could talk themselves into bringing one of these players in to salvage a season.

East Notes: Eagles, Cousins, Branch

August 17th, 2014 at 11:34am CST by Rory Parks

Although there was a great deal of cyberspace dedicated to the Jets this morning, there are also a few relevant notes to pass along from some of the league’s other east division teams. Let’s have a look:

Despite Eagles kicker Alex Henery‘s missed 47-yard field goal attempt in last night’s preseason game, Kelly affirmed that Henery is in no immediate danger of losing his job to Carey Spear, tweets Mosher.
In reference to the Eagles‘ kicking competition, Kelly stated, “It’s clear in our mind Alex is number one over Carey.” Henery has performed well in training camp, but as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, if Kelly is convinced that Henery is the guy–and apparently he is, since Spear has not even had a kick in a preseason game–why is Spear still on the roster?
In a separate piece, McLane notes that Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry got a few reps with the starters on Friday against the Patriots and that he acquitted himself well. McLane believes that, despite speculation that Curry may be traded since he is not a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s defensive scheme, the Eagles are unlikely to deal the player who may be the team’s best pass rusher, particularly since they did little to address their pass rushing group in the offseason.
Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes that the Giants‘ offensive line did nothing to assuage concerns during its lackluster showing against the Colts on Saturday night.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes that one of the few bright spots for the Giants yesterday was the performance of tight end Adrien Robinson.
Mike Jones of the Washington Post writes that Redskins backup quarterback Kirk Cousins has continued to be a “good soldier” as he awaits an opportunity to start in the NFL. Cousins, of course, was the subject of trade rumors this offseason and will probably get a legitimate chance to establish himself as a starter at some point in his career.
James Walker of ESPN.com writes that Dolphins guard Dallas Thomas is now on the hot seat after his weak performance against the Buccaneers on Saturday.
Two Bills players who were seemingly roster locks several months ago–Thad Lewis and Alan Branch–are now in danger of being cut, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com. Rodak elaborates in a separate post.

King’s Latest: Locker, Chiefs, Cousins, Mallett

August 11th, 2014 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Having been involved in some of the best seasons of the careers of Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers, new Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt will look to develop Jake Locker this season, as the Tennessee signal-caller enters a contract year. Asked by Peter King of TheMMQB.com if he believes Locker is the team’s quarterback of the future, Whisenhunt was cautiously optimistic.

“I hope so,” Whisenhunt said. “I feel good about what I see out here [in practice]. But you’re not getting hit out here either. The question is, can you do all the right things when you’re about to get hit?”

The Titans chose not to exercise their fifth-year option on Locker for 2015, so if he shows enough in 2014 to convince the team he’s the long-term answer, the two sides will have to negotiate a new agreement to keep him around.

Here’s more from King’s column:

Before teams cut down their rosters for the regular season, look for Chiefs GM John Dorsey to shop one of his tight ends and one of his kickers in an effort to land a late draft pick for 2015, says King, who suggests the Giants as a potential suitor for a tight end.
Evaluating a pair of backup quarterbacks who have been mentioned in trade rumors this year, King suggests that Kirk Cousins of the Redskins should be worth a second-round pick to a quarterback-needy team, but says Ryan Mallett may not net more than a seventh-round for the Patriots. In fact, King adds that he wouldn’t be shocked if the Pats could end up cutting Mallett.
King passes along a Jaguars-related anecdote from last season to illustrate another reason why having an NFL franchise in London would be difficult: General manager David Caldwell wanted to claim linebacker Martez Wilson off waivers last season, but the Jags were in London, and Caldwell didn’t want to cut one of his own players and send him home from Europe before the London game. The GM also wasn’t sure what kind of game shape or mental shape Wilson would be in if he arrived in London on the Friday before Sunday’s game. The linebacker was ultimately claimed by the Raiders.

Mallett, Cousins Trade Value

August 9th, 2014 at 6:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

An old NFL cliche is that everyone always loves the backup quarterback, and Albert Breer of the NFL Network spoke to a few team executives to see how much they love a pair of the league’s most interesting potential starting passers, Ryan Mallett and Kirk Cousins.

Mallett was drafted in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Though purely on talent he was projected as a possible first-round pick, he fell in the draft due in part to character issues surrounding him leading up to the draft. In his three seasons with the Patriots, he has yet to see any significant game action.

One AFC general manager was quoted by Breer regarding Mallett’s trade value (via Twitter):

“New England has invested a lot of time in him. If they were really high on him, they would not have drafted one this year, pending UFA or not.”

An NFC executive also made a point about how Mallett is valued among Patriots’ coaches, noting that not only did the team draft Jimmy Garoppolo, but no former Patriots’ coach expressed interest on bringing in Mallett as they switched teams (via Twitter):

“The fact that nobody Pats-related ever went after him speaks volumes. Plus, he can’t help you this year, so why not just sign him as a FA?”

Redskins’ backup Cousins has considerably more value according to the sources Breer spoke to. Cousins was drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, as a fourth-round pick. The team chose Robert Griffin III with the second-overall selection, which slid Cousins immediately into a long term backup role.

An AFC executive prefers Cousins to Mallett because Cousins has a body of work to show for, and has another year on his contract the team would control (via Twitter):

“In my mind better than Mallett – he has a body of evidence. I think he could be a low-end starter or at very least a ‘compete with starter’ piece.”

An NFC Pro Scouting Director is also ambivalent about his ability (via Twitter):

“You could probably get as high as a conditional 3rd for him. Depends on the desperation of the club. … A low end starter. Someone that you’ll end up looking to replace. Better than Cassel and look what was given up for him.”

One NFC general manager did say he might be able to fetch the Redskins a second-round pick, but more likely a third rounder would be a higher pick (via Twitter):

“If you look at trade history, high end would be a 2nd round pick. Or realistically a 3rd.”

Yes, Cousins could grab the Redskins an extra pick, but none of the sources Breer spoke to was particularly high on either quarterback. While there is a common thought that both Cousins and Mallett could become one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league, but they would still be the bottom rung of starters.

It is unlikely that either player gets traded in the near future, as both passers are more valuable as backups with their current teams than they are as potential starters elsewhere in the league.

La Canfora On Pats, McCourty, Redskins

August 6th, 2014 at 5:38pm CST by Zachary Links

In today’s column, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes that the Redskins’ offensive line is looking solid for the first time in a while. Left tackle Trent Williams is in excellent shape and it appears that offensive line coach Chris Foerster has done a nice job of molding the unit as it adapts to a team that will incorporate elements of power running under head coach Jay Gruden. Here’s more from La Canfora..

Devin McCourty is looking good at safety and it has solved what was a lingering issue for the Patriots. They’ll want him around a long time but there’s nothing brewing as he enters the final year of his deal. The sides exchanged some initial proposals this offseason, sources told La Canfora, but weren’t particularly close, and there hasn’t been any movement since. The safety franchise tag is quite team friendly, so that could be lessening New England’s urgency in working on a new deal. Still, La Canfora feels the sides could talk again before the start of the season.
It’d be tough for the Redskins to pull off a trade well past the draft, but La Canfora wonders if Washington could get more calls at some point in 2014 on backup quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins has two years on his rookie deal and the Browns offered a mid-round pick for him this offseason, though La Canfora hears that Skins GM Bruce Allen wanted a second-rounder. Cousins has plenty of fans in some other front offices and coaching rooms, but the Redskins might want to hang on to him since Robert Griffin III remains an injury risk.
The Patriots are quietly pleased with what they have seen from receiver Brandon LaFell, who they signed as a free agent this offseason. He has shown a grasp of their system and with injury troubles plauging Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson, and Rob Gronkowski, there is an opportunity for LaFell to get lots of looks.

NFC Notes: Cousins, Robinson, Davis, Brown, Dotson, Maxwell, Washington

May 30th, 2014 at 7:00pm CST by Matt Feminis

Redskins backup quarterback Kirk Cousins was regarded as a prospect with starter-caliber potential coming out of Michigan State in 2012, and despite posting lackluster numbers in eight career games (four starts), his name surfaced in trade rumors earlier in the offseason. In an article by Mark Maske in the Washington Post, Cousins acknowledges he was aware of the speculation, but “never really got a whole lot of information.” Said Cousins: “I didn’t know what was truth and what was rumors, what was speculation. So it was hard for me to really read into anything because you didn’t know how true it was. So I think for the most part it was smart for me just to stay out of it.”

In other NFC notes. . .

ESPN’s Redskins reporter John Keim did an interview on 890 AM in which he said receiver Leonard Hankerson, who is recovering from a torn ACL/LCL injury, is questionable for the start of training camp. After witnessing Hankerson barely going half-speed in minicamp, Keim said he wouldn’t be surprised if Hankerson begins the season on the PUP list.
Keim also singled out third-year linebacker Keenan Robinson, whose speed and range were on display during minicamp. According to Keim, the team has been high on Robinson for two years, envisioning him as London Fletcher‘s replacement at middle linebacker. However, torn pectoral muscles landed Robinson on IR 11 games into his 2012 rookie season and sidelined him for all of 2013. Robinson’s time might be now, adds the Washington Post’s Mike Jones, who says Robinson “has done well in classroom sessions and on-field workouts this offseason” and “appeared at ease on Thursday as he made the defensive calls, and matched the tempo of the returning starters…”
Vernon Davis, who is seeking a new contract, was coy when asked if he’ll be at the 49ers’ involuntary minicamp, according to Eric Branch at sfgate.com: “I might be there,” [Davis] said, smiling. “I might not. It’s mandatory. I probably should be there. We’ll see.”
Through a series of unforeseen events, Stevie Brown is once again working as one of the Giants’ first-team safeties alongside Antrel Rolle, writes ESPN’s Dan Graziano. Brown, who missed last season because of a torn ACL, is on a one-year, $2.75MM deal.
The Buccaneers’ offensive line struggled last season, but college basketball player-turned-defensive lineman-turned-practice squad flier-turned-offensive tackle starter Demar Dotson could be developing into a star, according to Michael Renner at Pro Football Focus. Dotson, playing on a three-year, $4.5MM deal that runs out after 2016, “is far and away one of the best values at his position,” believes Renner.
Despite losing Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond in free agency, the Seahawks vaunted secondary “shouldn’t skip a beat” in the estimation of Pro Football Focus’ Pete Damilatis, who believes third-year cornerback Byron Maxwell is the team’s “Secret Superstar.”
In the wake of Cardinals star linebacker Daryl Washington‘s one-year suspension, Darren Urban of azcardinals.com explains why it doesn’t make sense to cut Washington.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Cousins, Giants

May 14th, 2014 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Cowboys had one of the more defense-heavy drafts in the NFL, the team waited until the seventh round to address its safety position, which was viewed as a weakness heading into the draft. That doesn’t bother executive VP Stephen Jones, however. On a conference call with season ticketholders, Jones indicated that the team doesn’t view safety as a significant area of need, as some observers do. Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk has the quotes from Jones, who praised the Cowboys’ current crop of safeties along with seventh-round pick Ahmad Dixon.

Here are a few more updates from around the NFC East:

Appearing on 106.7 The Fan in Washington yesterday, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the Browns offered the Redskins a fourth-round pick for Kirk Cousins during the draft, an offer Washington turned down (Twitter link). Cleveland ultimately used its fourth-rounder to select Lindenwood cornerback Pierre Desir.
Since exercising his fifth-year option, the Giants have yet to engage in any talks with cornerback Prince Amukamara about a long-term deal, which Amukamara is fine with, as Conor Orr of the Star-Ledger writes. “I don’t expect them to [work on an extension now],” Amukamara said. “I don’t think I really gave them a return on their investment yet. And with that being said, I plan on this year being a huge year for me. I’m just focused on playing ball.”
Although he admits that he hates the draft, Giants receiver Victor Cruz – a former undrafted free agent – was pleased with the team’s addition of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. Cruz had previously suggested he wanted the Giants to draft a wideout to help make up for the loss of Hakeem Nicks, who signed with the Colts in free agency.