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SPORTS Saturday 17 March 2018

Could Vikings' guarantee for Cousins start an NFL trend?

By DAVE CAMPBELL to make about $44 million
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The over the last two years and
idea began to percolate still hit free agency in his
about 2½ years ago, in prime with no history of sig-
discussions between Kirk nificant injury. The Redskins
Cousins and agent Mike declined to use the fran-
McCartney about his status chise tag a third time and
with the Washington Red- acquired Alex Smith in a
skins and his future in the trade with the Kansas City
NFL. Chiefs instead.
The goal was to get a ful- That allowed a player who
ly guaranteed contract, topped 4,000 passing yards
the security players in this in three straight seasons to
league of high turnover cash in on the volume of
and short shelf lives have quarterback-needy teams
sought for decades, un- in the NFL, where there's
like their peers in profes- perpetually a short supply
sional baseball, basketball of true superstars at the
and hockey who are ac- most challenging of all po-
customed to guaranteed sitions.
money. "It would be great if this
This week, when Cousins fi- would be a game changer
nally reached free agency and started a trend. Hope- Minnesota Vikings new quarterback Kirk Cousins addresses the media after he was introduced
after two consecutive sea- fully, there are some high- during a news conference, after signing a three-year, $84 million contract, at the NFL football
sons playing on the fran- profile guys who can build team's new headquarters Thursday, March 15, 2018, in Eagan, Minn.
chise tag, the Minnesota on this and go beyond Kirk's Associated Press
Vikings made that once- money but still have a fully
unrealistic aspiration hap- guaranteed contract," Mc- and he's been franchised ins said at his introductory trend instead of a footnote
pen with an $84 million, Cartney said, adding: "It's two years in a row, and it's news conference on Thurs- will be more players willing
three-year deal. time for it to happen." the quarterback position, day. "It is what it is for my to take shorter contracts.
"It took a great player to The Vikings were the other you're going to have to do situation, but players after If Cousins asked for a five-
come to the market, and critical part of this equa- what you have to do. If we me have to decide what year deal, the total value
it's not easy to get to the tion, of course. They draft- didn't, I know a lot of oth- they want to do." likely wouldn't have been
market with great players," ed Teddy Bridgewater in er teams out there would There are a number of com- much higher if at all. In so
McCartney said. "It's just the first round in 2014 with have." plex reasons why NFL con- many contracts over the
the way it turned out. It's the expectation he'd be- The Vikings didn't offer tracts have so rarely been course of the modern NFL,
been an exciting several come their franchise quar- Cousins the most overall guaranteed like those in the maximum value was
weeks in anticipation. We terback, but he wrecked money, McCartney said, MLB, the NBA or the NHL, never paid out because
researched all fall, the dif- his knee right before the but they were confident with one being a decades- teams were able to cut an
ferent teams and potential 2016 season and has yet to enough in Cousins to com- old clause in the collective aged or underperforming
options. At one point, we start a game since then. His mit to not only the largest bargaining agreement that players without being on
never thought that the Vi- replacement, Sam Brad- per-year average in NFL requires teams to put de- the hook for much if any
kings would need a quar- ford, became a free agent. history (topping Jimmy ferred guaranteed money guaranteed money in the
terback and yet still did our So did his super sub, Case Garoppolo) but the big- in escrow. That was devised latter part of the deal.
research and homework Keenum. With a roster on gest guaranteed figure the before the league's reve- McCartney acknowledged
on them. As we got closer the cusp of a Super Bowl, league has seen (beating nue boom to ensure teams his confidence level of ful-
to free agency, I had a having lost to the eventual Matthew Stafford). Those wouldn't run out of cash to filling this goal was rela-
feeling we were going to champion Philadelphia Ea- benchmarks will be tempo- pay players. Now, the rule tively low when he first
have an opportunity." gles in the NFC champion- rary, of course, with quar- can simply deter deep- approached the Redskins
As a low draft pick who was ship game, the Vikings were terbacks of greater ability pocketed owners from about a new contract for
forced to work his way up more than willing to be as and accomplishment like granting long-term, guar- his client. Cousins picked
the depth chart and has aggressive as they needed Aaron Rodgers and Matt anteed deals that require the Vikings for more than
never won a postseason to acquire the quarterback Ryan in the queue for con- cutting massive checks just the desirability of their
game, Cousins represent- they believed was the best tract extensions with their that won't be cashed for offer. They provided him
ed an unlikely candidate available free agent. clubs. years. the best championship op-
to set the precedent. The "I don't know where it's go- The ice has at least been "Now we have so much TV portunity of all the suitors,
market always flows toward ing to go," Vikings general chipped, though, if not bro- money that it's completely and he raved about the
the demand, though, and manager Rick Spielman ken wide open. unnecessary from my van- culture and leadership he
because Washington was said. "But I know when a "It won't matter if other tage point," McCartney discovered through his re-
lukewarm on his long-term player of this caliber gets players after me choose to said. search and initial visit to
potential, Cousins was able out there on the market go a different route," Cous- The key to making this a team headquarters.q