Reported: Alex Smith Traded To Redskins

[nflbronco]

For some reason, I'm just not sold on Cousins. I think he's a very good quarterback but I don't know if he'll ever get to that "special" category for the Broncos and the long term investment is a pretty big risk, IMO. His stats look pretty decent but the eye test just isn't ringing my bell. I'm probably wrong but bringing him in feels nothing like when we landed Peyton Manning. (of course no one is PFM but PFM).

I get more excited about the prospect of landing a young stud in the draft at #5 and having the Broncos commit and build the team around him for the long haul. Our version of what the Rams have done with Goff and what the Eagles have done with Wentz. I know that this approach is probably even riskier. Good thing that I'm not a front office personnel guy!

My views exactly and Denver is a 1000 times more pressure demands vs Washington. Coaching staff is a HUGE question mark as well.


If we can add Cousins sign JT type TE, Draft an Edge RB ILB G Trade for T I'd feel better about it.

 

[cdumler7]

For some reason, I'm just not sold on Cousins. I think he's a very good quarterback but I don't know if he'll ever get to that "special" category for the Broncos and the long term investment is a pretty big risk, IMO. His stats look pretty decent but the eye test just isn't ringing my bell. I'm probably wrong but bringing him in feels nothing like when we landed Peyton Manning. (of course no one is PFM but PFM).

I get more excited about the prospect of landing a young stud in the draft at #5 and having the Broncos commit and build the team around him for the long haul. Our version of what the Rams have done with Goff and what the Eagles have done with Wentz. I know that this approach is probably even riskier. Good thing that I'm not a front office personnel guy!

I'm with you on not being completely sold. For me most of my thoughts on Cousins comes down to the contract we have to hand out to him. Anything below $25 million a year and I can get on board with signing him. Anything above that and I just see the Broncos being a mediocre team at best during his tenure with the Broncos.

The one big reason I can get behind the deal though is that our #5 pick becomes much more valuable. Teams will be trying to get ahead of the Jets for one of the top QB's meaning the Broncos could be looking at adding a 1st round pick next year type deal plus only move back say 5-6 spots. I'm one that doesn't see a lot of top heavy elite talent in this draft but think more the strength of this draft is the depth. So dropping back a few spots I still think the Broncos can get an almost equal level talented player plus have more draft ammo to work with. So they would be able to actually surround Cousins with talent.

 

[nflbronco]

I'm with you on not being completely sold. For me most of my thoughts on Cousins comes down to the contract we have to hand out to him. Anything below $25 million a year and I can get on board with signing him. Anything above that and I just see the Broncos being a mediocre team at best during his tenure with the Broncos.

The one big reason I can get behind the deal though is that our #5 pick becomes much more valuable. Teams will be trying to get ahead of the Jets for one of the top QB's meaning the Broncos could be looking at adding a 1st round pick next year type deal plus only move back say 5-6 spots. I'm one that doesn't see a lot of top heavy elite talent in this draft but think more the strength of this draft is the depth. So dropping back a few spots I still think the Broncos can get an almost equal level talented player plus have more draft ammo to work with. So they would be able to actually surround Cousins with talent.

This would be a more BOLD JE if he did that Carl. JE is a more safe mode drafter to me. If Cousins comes on board I expect Edge moving up to top choice at 5.

 

[cdumler7]

This would be a more BOLD JE if he did that Carl. JE is a more safe mode drafter to me. If Cousins comes on board I expect Edge moving up to top choice at 5.

Edge will definitely be considered but I think there are a lot of directions they can go. If they stay Bradley Chubb, Saquan Barkley, Quenton Nelson, and Raquon Smith are all guys I've heard they are very interested in. They all fit big holes and bring talent to the Broncos.

And I would say Elway with how he has spoken this year is showing a guy that knows he has not been perfect in the past and is willing to adjust how he does things. I'm sure if Arizona decides they really want to get the future at QB and offer the Broncos 2 1st round picks and more Elway will definitely consider it. Lots of talent I like middle of the 1st round. Some team is going to want to jump the Jets in this draft.

 

[Duffman]

For some reason, I'm just not sold on Cousins. I think he's a very good quarterback but I don't know if he'll ever get to that "special" category for the Broncos and the long term investment is a pretty big risk, IMO. His stats look pretty decent but the eye test just isn't ringing my bell. I'm probably wrong but bringing him in feels nothing like when we landed Peyton Manning. (of course no one is PFM but PFM).

I get more excited about the prospect of landing a young stud in the draft at #5 and having the Broncos commit and build the team around him for the long haul. Our version of what the Rams have done with Goff and what the Eagles have done with Wentz. I know that this approach is probably even riskier. Good thing that I'm not a front office personnel guy!

It would be great to land an amazing first round quarterback that high but for every Goff and Wentz that’s worked out you have more people who haven’t. it’s a risk and in Elway’s mind he might be willing to go with an older but sure thing type of quarterback over a younger greater potential greater failure quarterback .

 

[cdumler7]

It would be great to land an amazing first round quarterback that high but for every Goff and Wentz that’s worked out you have more people who haven’t. it’s a risk and in Elway’s mind he might be willing to go with an older but sure thing type of quarterback over a younger greater potential greater failure quarterback .

I would say it is a risk either way just a different type of risk. With a young draft pick QB it is much easier to build a team around them. You can add in both Free Agency and the Draft and help cover up some of the QB's weaknesses just by having so much more talent around them. Look at the Jaguars with Bortles. He is not a good QB but they have been able to add a ton of talent around him to compensate. Also beyond Manning and Brady teams have shown a difficulty in winning with a QB on anything but a rookie contract. At the same time if the player doesn't work out then you are still left searching for your QB and eventually those talented players you added age and are eating up big chunks of the cap and you have to start over pretty quick.

On the other side of it you get a known piece of the puzzle. WE know what Cousins is as a QB and how much of a boost he is to the QB position. The risk is in that most of your ability to grow as a team is through the draft. So can you actually hit for a couple of years in the draft to surround the QB with talent? Most teams have not been able to. At the same time how often does a team add a top-10 QB and have a top-5 pick in the draft in the same year? So Broncos could really turn things around in a hurry like they did with the 2011 and 2012 drafts that ended up being huge boosts to the team.

 

[MileHigh64]

I would say it is a risk either way just a different type of risk. With a young draft pick QB it is much easier to build a team around them. You can add in both Free Agency and the Draft and help cover up some of the QB's weaknesses just by having so much more talent around them. Look at the Jaguars with Bortles. He is not a good QB but they have been able to add a ton of talent around him to compensate. Also beyond Manning and Brady teams have shown a difficulty in winning with a QB on anything but a rookie contract. At the same time if the player doesn't work out then you are still left searching for your QB and eventually those talented players you added age and are eating up big chunks of the cap and you have to start over pretty quick.

On the other side of it you get a known piece of the puzzle. WE know what Cousins is as a QB and how much of a boost he is to the QB position. The risk is in that most of your ability to grow as a team is through the draft. So can you actually hit for a couple of years in the draft to surround the QB with talent? Most teams have not been able to. At the same time how often does a team add a top-10 QB and have a top-5 pick in the draft in the same year? So Broncos could really turn things around in a hurry like they did with the 2011 and 2012 drafts that ended up being huge boosts to the team.

Yeah, both models come with risks. My preference is the young QB risk at this point but who knows. If the Broncos land Cousins and he lights it up on the field, I'll be as fat and happy as any Bronco fan out there.

 

[CEH]

Whatever way makes it so QB is off the draft board
Every year you go into a draft looking for a QB it hinders your draft preparation and strategy

 

[Orange Crush77]

I’m on the Cousins bandwagon, then draft Chubb. Make our pass rush great again

 

[Mingo]

I certainly would be happy with Cousins as the Broncos QB. He's can certainly QB 21 points a game. 3 straight years of 4,000 yards passing - 90 or above QB ratings, 2/1 TD to Interception ratio - better than 60 % passing and 7.5 yards per attempt. No question those are good numbers.

 

[Duffman]

 

[MileHigh64]

Well, here we go! If this is true and KC becomes a Bronco, Cousins will be my guy.

 

[listopencil]

Les Shapiro @LesShapiro
Just talked to a @broncos exec. Told him, there's a rumor that the team is "close to a deal with Kirk Cousins." Exec's response: "If that's the case, it's news to us." Doesn't mean they're not going after him. Just means the rumor, right now, is just a rumor. #broncos

 

[Duffman]

Les Shapiro @LesShapiro
Just talked to a @broncos exec. Told him, there's a rumor that the team is "close to a deal with Kirk Cousins." Exec's response: "If that's the case, it's news to us." Doesn't mean they're not going after him. Just means the rumor, right now, is just a rumor. #broncos

Well if he admitted it then it would be legit tampering. Not saying this rumor isn't just a rumor but people have been known to "lie" to hide the truth until it's safe to publicly announce for years.

 

[MileHigh64]

Well if he admitted it then it would be legit tampering. Not saying this rumor isn't just a rumor but people have been known to "lie" to hide the truth until it's safe to publicly announce for years.

It wouldn't be surprising at all if the Broncos and KC are closing in on a deal but my guess is that this thing is going to cool down for awhile as everyone takes cover.

 

[iknowftbll]

I think one of the biggest short term advantages of bringing in Cousins is the ability to address the single biggest need the team has through FA but still have that premium draft pick. I like the way this sets up, despite having some reservations about Cousins.

 

[nflbronco]

I think one of the biggest short term advantages of bringing in Cousins is the ability to address the single biggest need the team has through FA but still have that premium draft pick. I like the way this sets up, despite having some reservations about Cousins.

If we use 5 on a edge its a position we shouldn't need to use pick on with Shane Ray here. but, we could that is a bummer.

 

[iknowftbll]

If we use 5 on a edge its a position we shouldn't need to use pick on with Shane Ray here. but, we could that is a bummer.

Part of the good thing about that premium pick is the ability to trade back. Carl already went through this so I’ll not repeat it, but if the value of the player isn’t available at #5 and we already have our QB, we’re still in great shape. Maybe we’d be able to shore up that O-line and give Cousins a halfway decent unit in front of him. He didn’t have great lines here in DC and was still fairly productive. If we can build that unit to a respectable level (and I think we’re closer than the team is getting credit for) and give the guy some decent pass and run blocking he could thrive. Coupled with a defense that, while nowhere close to 2015 levels, is still very good and I can see Cousins leading the Broncos into perennial playoff contenders. Getting them over that hump and making them SB contenders will be a lot harder.

 

[SpringStein]

Bills need a QB - talking of trades. They have 22/23 and we have 5. Trade chart says swapping those plus a 3rd rounder this year or a 2nd rounder next year works well.

They could move in front of Jets, their division rival and get a QB. We could draft Will Hernandez at OG and James Washington at WR. And the have another pick in the 3rd this year or 2nd next year. I'd opt for next year's pick.

 

[listopencil]

If we moved back to the Bills and got 22/23 (and hopefully a bit more) it'd be great if we could use those picks to grab OG Hernandez and a starting RT. I really, really like Quenton Nelson out of Notre Dame but Hernandez looks very good. And there should be a 2nd tier OT available near the bottom of the first as well.