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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Nick Schwartz

Stephen A. Smith on why the Vikings have to get rid of ‘bonafide scrub’ Kirk Cousins

The Minnesota Vikings are paying Kirk Cousins $28 million in 2019, part of the $84 million deal that was highly criticized when Cousins signed in 2018 and looks even worse now, with the 31-year-old currently ranked 31st in total QBR. The Vikings have one of the worst passing offenses in the league despite boasting a pair of excellent receivers in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.

On Thursday, Diggs confirmed to reporters that there is truth to the rumors that he may want to be traded, days after Cousins apologized to Thielen for his performances.

At 2-2, the Vikings are still in contention in the NFC North despite an ugly loss to the Bears in Week 4, and Dalvin Cook has cemented his status as one of the best running backs in the NFL. Still, Cousins is floundering in the Vikings’ offensive system, and according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, it’s time for the Vikings to eat the guaranteed money and find a better quarterback.

“I’d get rid of Kirk Cousins. Got to get rid of Kirk Cousins… I can’t recall, and I’ve seen a lot of bonafide scrubs in the National Football League in my day – I really have. Some dudes that just clearly did not belong on that level.

I have never seen a situation where a quarterback is called out not by one, but essentially by two receivers in one week. Where one dude sat up there and said ‘look man, we’ve got to be better or we ain’t going nowhere.’ And the other dude said ‘hell, we ain’t going nowhere, I want out.’ That’s basically what has happened with Thielen and Stefon Diggs.

…. He has a QBR of 25. When you look at Kirk Cousins… underthrows, overthrows, or flat-out no-throws because he’s just missing dudes.”

The Vikings travel to New York to play Daniel Jones and the Giants on Sunday.

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