Could Vikings’ guarantee for Cousins start a trend?
EAGAN, MINN. » The idea began to percolate about 2½ years ago, in discussions between Kirk Cousins and agent Mike McCartney about his status with the Washington Redskins and his future in the NFL.
The goal was to get a fully guaranteed contract, the security players in this league of high turnover and short shelf lives have sought for decades, unlike their peers in professional baseball, basketball and hockey who are accustomed to guaranteed money.
This week, when Cousins finally reached free agency after two consecutive seasons playing on the franchise tag, the Minnesota Vikings made that once-unrealistic aspiration happen with an $84 million, three-year deal.
“It took a great player to come to the market, and it’s not easy to get to the market with great players,” McCartney said. “It’s just the way it turned out. It’s been an exciting several weeks in anticipation. We researched all fall, the different teams and potential options. At one point, we never thought that the Vikings would need a quarterback and yet still did our research and homework on them. As we got closer to free agency, I had a feeling we were going to have an opportunity.”
As a low draft pick who was forced to work his way up the depth chart and has never won a postseason game, Cousins represented an unlikely candidate to set the precedent. The market always flows toward the demand, though, and because Washington was lukewarm on his longterm potential, Cousins was able to make about $44 million over the last two years and still hit free agency in his prime with no history of significant injury. The Redskins declined to use the franchise tag a third time and acquired Alex Smith in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs instead.
That allowed a player who topped 4,000 passing yards in three straight seasons to cash in on the volume of quarterback-needy teams in the NFL, where there’s perpetually a short supply of true superstars at the most challenging of all positions.
“It would be great if this would be a game changer and started a trend. Hopefully, there are some high-profile guys who can build on this and go beyond Kirk’s money but still have a fully guaranteed contract,” McCartney said, adding: “It’s time for it to happen.”
The Vikings were the other critical part of this equation, of course. They drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the first round in 2014 with the expectation he’d become their franchise quarterback, but he wrecked his knee right before the 2016 season and has yet to start a game since then. His replacement, Sam Bradford, became a free agent. So did his super sub, Case Keenum. With a roster on the cusp of a Super Bowl, having lost to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game, the Vikings were more than willing to be as aggressive as they needed to acquire the quarterback they believed was the best available free agent.
“I don’t know where it’s going to go,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said. “But I know when a player of this caliber gets out there on the market and he’s been franchised two years in a row, and it’s the quarterback position, you’re going to have to do what you have to do. If we didn’t, I know a lot of other teams out there would have.”
The Vikings didn’t offer Cousins the most overall money, McCartney said, but they were confident enough in Cousins to commit to not only the largest per-year average in NFL history (topping Jimmy Garoppolo) but the biggest guaranteed figure the league has seen (beating Matthew Stafford). Those benchmarks will be temporary, of course, with quarterbacks of greater ability and accomplishment like Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan in the queue for contract extensions with their clubs.
RAVENS » The Baltimore Ravens’ unyielding effort to land a big-play receiver finally paid off Friday when nine-year veteran Michael Crabtree signed a three-year contract.
Hours after disclosing that the Ravens voided the contract of Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant following a failed physical, general manager Ozzie Newsome landed Crabtree, who played the past three seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
Crabtree toured the Ravens’ complex Friday morning and signed in the late afternoon.
“I always imagined myself being a Raven when I was little,” Crabtree said. “I came here, loved it and signed on the dotted line.”
In two games over the past two years with Oakland, the former 49ers star scorched Baltimore for 13 catches for 170 yards and four touchdowns.
Facing the Ravens in the 2012 Super Bowl, Crabtree had five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown for San Francisco in a 34-31 loss.
“Michael has played very well against the Ravens, so we know firsthand the attributes he brings to the game,” Newsome said. “He is a smart, tough, physical receiver who battles for the ball. We like his temperament and believe he is a good fit for our football team, on and off the field.”
The 30-year-old Crabtree played six seasons with San Francisco before joining the Raiders. He has 579 career receptions for 6,870 yards and 51 touchdowns in 125 career games.
CHARGERS » The Los Angeles Chargers have signed kicker Caleb Sturgis to a two-year deal.
The Chargers announced the move Friday. Los Angeles also signed kicker Roberto Aguayo in January, and Nick Rose is still on the roster.
Sturgis spent the past three seasons with Philadelphia, but he missed the Eagles’ Super Bowl championship run. After winning the starting job, he injured his hip in the regular season opener and went on injured reserve.
The University of Florida product spent his first two NFL seasons with Miami. He was outstanding for the Eagles in 2016, hitting 35 of his 41 field goal attempts.
BENGALS » Vontaze Burfict is appealing a four-game suspension from the NFL for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances, the third straight season that the Cincinnati Bengals linebacker is facing punishment from the league.
The suspension was first reported by ESPN. The Bengals had no comment on Burfict. They signed free agent linebacker Preston Brown to a one-year contract Friday, giving them depth at the position.
The Bengals have steadfastly supported Burfict, even giving him a three-year contract extension while he was suspended last year. They’ve had plenty of chances to get accustomed to playing without him.
He missed the first six games of the 2015 season while recovering from knee surgery. He played a key role in the Bengals’ playoff meltdown against the Steelers that season, hitting Antonio Brown in the head after an incompletion. The penalty moved Pittsburgh into range for a winning goal in the closing seconds.
The NFL responded by suspending Burfict for the first three games of the 2016 season, citing his history of egregious hits. He got another three-game suspension to start last season after an egregious hit on Kansas City running back Anthony Sherman during a preseason game.