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The phone rang, forever changing Kirk Cousins' journey into the NFL and his life.
The news is comforting, but amazing. One of the last dominos of his offseason master plan has just fallen.
And right now, Cousins knows what he and his agent, Mike McCartney, must do next: Ask the Minnesota Vikings to increase their offer.
Last March, in the kitchen of his in-laws, Cousins communicated the news of the contract to his wife.
Kirk Cousins triumphed over the Vikings instead of the Jets. This is something New York fans will probably not forget when the teams face off on Sunday. (Getty Images)
"The Jets arrived at 30 [million]. Fully guaranteed. A three-year contract, he tells him. "Mike has to do the same thing with the Vikings. He must get them from $ 25 [million] to a competitive number compared to the Jets offer. But the fact that we have the Jets offer is huge, because that now gives a reason for the other teams to come. "
Julie Cousins looked at him in astonishment, realizing that her husband's dream as a free agent was finally materializing. For once, Cousins is the object of all desires, the beauty of the ball, the hot cheerleader that every young quarterback wanted to date. After years spent feeling under-appreciated in Washington and nicknamed "Kurt" by Redskins President Bruce Allen, the scene finally belongs to the often neglected veteran quarterback. The former fourth speaker is now a darling of the free agency.
But Cousins do not want New York Jets. He wants the Vikings.
Two franchises. A fateful decision. And a choice that finally went perfectly for both teams.
Cousins' selfish calculation – a Minnesota contract of $ 28 million per season, with a three-year term and fully guaranteed – paved the way for his long-awaited arrival in a team with more weapons than ever before in Washington. But more importantly, the Vikings left little doubt that they wanted the Cousins to be the face of their franchise.
Meanwhile, the Jets – considered largely as pats of the off-season quarterback's plot – have returned to work to implement Plan B.
And Sunday, New York and its fan base will meet The Guy who escaped.
Regardless of Cousins' impressive numbers: 1,921 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions for the Vikings (3-2-1), and regardless of the results of Sunday's game, the Jets are the real winners cousins. hunt.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Did he use them as a means of pressure? Obviously. "Data-reactid =" 48 ">Did he use them as a means of pressure? Obviously.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Did he have a real interest in playing for them? Nope. "Data-reactid =" 49 ">Did he have a real interest in playing for them? Nope.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Is there a problem with the cousins playing on the system? Not at all. "Data-reactid =" 50 ">Is there a problem with the cousins playing on the system? Not at all.
(In fact, more players should take note of how he maximized his influence.)
It's business. And in this case, being the rejected contenders turned out to be a good thing for the Jets.
They lost a quick fix, but by losing Cousins, they won a much cheaper young quarterback with an even higher ceiling at Sam Darnold.
After selling defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson to Seattle in September 2017, in exchange for his wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and a second round pick, the Jets have prepared this same choice as part of a sensational exchange with Indianapolis to move from No. 6 to third overall in the draft directive in March.
A month later, New York chooses its new franchisee: Darnold, 21 years old.
"We talked a lot about his young age," said Cousins this week to Darnold, who scored 1,346 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Jets (3-3). "You feel like it's a really awesome start for him in this league, and I'm sure he has a lot of great days ahead of him – hopefully our defense will be able to contain it this weekend."
Darnold is a rookie who continues to learn and navigate the transition to the NFL. But every week he has demonstrated his ability to get rid of bad decisions and slow starts. remain balanced even in the face of a deficit; and show sharp precision that you throw the ball down or through narrow windows.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Will fans of the Jets will boo him when he gets on the field of MetLife Stadium? Without a doubt. "Data-reactid =" 67 ">Will fans of the Jets will boo him when he gets on the field of MetLife Stadium? Without a doubt.
But here's why they should not do it: Darnold is their future. And as Cousins pointed out, the kid seems to have "many beautiful days ahead of him".
So, dear fans of the Jets: Do not boo the cousins because he has dissected you. Instead, applaud him because he's done you a favor.
He allowed the cameras to capture his free agency process and, even worse, to sign those private conversations publicly broadcast in a documentary prepared by his marketing team. The cousins could have pocketed $ 90 million from the Jets. Instead, he put less money to play for the team that he was watching from the beginning.
"This show was meant to show the trip and show how much I was impressed by the Minnesota Vikings," Cousins told reporters in Minnesota. "It was not supposed to be an offense to anyone. I have a lot of respect for [Jets] coach [Todd] Bowles. I played against him. He had lunch several times. Jeremy Bates, their offensive coordinator, is a coach and a phenomenal player. he's doing a great job this year. So we really wanted to show that the Vikings are perfect for us. Nothing more."
His decision to change franchise has provided Jets fans with exactly what they've been asking for years: a young quarterback with a gun for an arm. First talented choice who seems to have a good head on shoulders, an indispensable presence in the pocket and a skill to read a defense.
This Jets team was not designed to win now. But the cousins did you a favor, New York.
He may have unwittingly put the Jets in a position to succeed in the days to come.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Subscribe to the Yahoo Sports NFL podcast
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