I read yesterday Kwesi has been talkin' to Cards about Deandre Hopkins. below are Hop's contract details ... salary, prorated bonus, guaranteed (zero), cap hit to cards, and dead cap hits depending on when he's cut. I'll let you capologists figue all that out.

Supposedly the Cardinals want a running back (I heard we may have one available) and a second round pick (I'm sure a third would be acceptable).

Hopkins is 30. MCL tear '21, PED suspension first six weeks 22. Neither would prevent you from thinking he can be all go in '23-25.

That would be easily the best receiver tandem in the NFL. Trading for Lamar is a gigantic risk. He's gonna want 4-5 years guaranteed, at 40 plus. In the plus/minus of that trade, Vikings would take huge cap liabilities for the next generation of the team .. (I figure an NFL team changes "generations" every five years, since that's sort of the high average of most NFL careers) ... . It would also eliminate the flexibility to draft a QBOTF, since we'd be locked into Lamar, sink or swim.

For 2023, what are the pluses and minuses of Lamar v Cousins?

Lamar is the fastest guy on the field, is a more accurate passer than people give him credit for, and with the benefit of a usually-outstanding defense has a great win-loss record. Downside is huge expense, questions about his decision-making and development in a run-first offense lacking high-level recievers, and durability.

Kirk is NOT the fastest guy, even compared to some offensive linemen. His won-lost record is pretty average. He's super-accurate, throws for tons of yards, and is probably at the pinnacle of his career right now both mentally and physically. He has no durability issues, no injury history, and is less expensive than Lamar.

In playoffs, they both have bad won-lost records ... Jackson 1-3, Cousins 1-4. But Cousins's play in playoffs has been objectively far better than Lamar's. WAY better. In playoff games Jackson has been execrable. 55% completions, passer rating 68. sixty. eight.

I'm willing to think Lamar Jackson with JJ and Hawk could be a Bowl contender, but I doubt we'd be favorites. Plus, we'd really have to re-vamp an offense that was already firing on 10 of 11 cylinders last year.

But what kind of offense would the Vikings have with Jefferson, Hawk, and Hopkins? I suspect those plays are already in the KOC playbook. If you don't think Hopkins can still play, check his highlights against the Vikings last year ...