Dear Major League Baseball: Take notes. While your free agency period has started out slower than your pace of play, the NBA and NFL are out here making moves. The day after the Los Angeles Clippers traded 5x All-Star Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons, America’s most popular sports league completed a blockbuster transaction of their own.

BREAKING VIA @terezpaylor: #Chiefs trade Alex Smith to Washington, saving $17 million. https://t.co/eyDHEfKI1D

— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) January 31, 2018

With the departure of Smith, KC will now hand their offensive reigns over to gunslinging 2017 first-round draft pick, Patrick Mahomes. On top of saving $17 million with the QB swap, in return for the Utah Alum, the Chiefs will receive a third round draft and Kendall Fuller. A cornerback, Fuller is considered a “bonafide starter.”

As for Washington, first and foremost, that’s a wrap on the Kirk Cousins tenure. It is assured that the free agent quarterback will move onto his second NFL team. With Cousins destined for an approximate $120 million payday, the Daniel Snyder-owned organization decided to save some money (kind of) by trading for, and then extending, Alex Smith to a 4 year deal that will average $23.5 million annually.

Remember – Dan Snyder wouldn’t entertain 5-yr/$40M deal Scot McCloughan wanted offer Cousins when he became starter. Would still be signed..

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 31, 2018

Whoops!

In conclusion, most Washington fans seem to feel like they just got punched in their beer bellies. Unfortunately for them, this isn’t those folks’ first rodeo. Questionable quarterback moves are par for that franchise’s course. In 2010 they traded for a well past his prime, Donavon McNabb. The couple of picks they departed with in that maneuver were nothing compared to the still lingering 2012 NFL Draft Scenario:

Some how…Some way…they will blame this on me. No doubt ??‍♂️

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 31, 2018

Now, what does this mean for the Vikings? Well, let’s just get out our nice little quarterback’s list from last week, when I laid out the options for the Vikings heading into the offseason:

• A) Resign or Franchise Tag Case Keenum & make him the starter.
• B) Resign Teddy Bridgewater & make him the starter.
• C) Resign Sam Bradford & make him the starter.
• D) Sign Kirk Cousins & make him the starter.
• E) Trade for Alex Smith & make him the starter.

Well, it’s one option off of the list. Some would say the best option. Alex Smith probably wasn’t the guy in the cape that we SKOL fans are waiting for. He probably wasn’t the prince to gently kiss Minnesota on the lips, awakening us from our coma of average quarterbacks that can’t lead us to the promise land.

However, he was a very good option for what the purple have to choose from. Alex Smith was the happy-medium that some fans were looking for. He provided the experience and has the reputation for exactly what Zimmer looks for in a QB. He is cautious but can make plays, when called upon. He isn’t 40 but he isn’t 26 and coming off of a knee injury either. Nonetheless, I’m also not paying an average QB for the next 5 years at a ridiculous amount like Washington just di either.

So, we are writing Alex Smith’s ass off our list. We’re moving on.

Things are a little clearer today than they were yesterday. Unless another option comes flying through the proverbial window, we are down to 4 guys. Keenum is the guy who overachieved last year but you just aren’t sure that will continue, especially with Shurmur gone.

Bradford is the guy Zimmer would like to have, if his knees weren’t rotting away worse than the pumpkins still remaining in the patch after Halloween. And Teddy… well we all love Teddy. But, the thought of throwing a Super Bowl-caliber team on his shoulders when he hasn’t played in essentially 2 years is a scary thought. We have no idea where his development will be after those two seasons.

And don’t sign Kirk Cousins. I wish I could cross that shit off right now. It should say something that Washington refused to commit to him for 3 years but then turned around and put a 5-year wedding ring on a chick who might prove to be uglier when it is all said and done. Cousins is a good quarterback but he isn’t worth the $25M+ someone will pay him.

So, we’ll wait. No state better at that than this one….

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN &
Eric Strack @RealMNSportsFan
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

To members of Skol Nation who are proponents of the “Instead of choosing between Keenum, Bridgewater, and Bradford, let’s resign a combination of two of them” mindsets, I appreciate the creativity. Despite indications showing that’s not going to happen, there’s not a damn thing wrong with your optimism.

With that being said, the odds that the Vikings go about finding their 2018 starting quarterback in a manner outside of the options listed below are slim to none, with the information we currently have.

Question: How should Minnesota handle their QB situation this offseason?

Answer:

• A) Resign or Franchise Tag Case Keenum & make him the starter.
• B) Resign Teddy Bridgewater & make him the starter.
• C) Resign Sam Bradford & make him the starter.
• D) Sign Kirk Cousins & make him the starter.
• E) Trade for Alex Smith & make him the starter.

In my opinion, and most others, there’s no clear-cut answer to this question. Rather than handle the above inquiry like it’s high school (just choose “C” and move on), I’m going to work to reach what I consider the best estimate. This topic is a hell of a lot more important than any of my Chemistry Labs.

Actually, in rare fashion, let’s eliminate “C” immediately. Sorry Sammy Sleeves’ fans, but this is business. Like Teddy Bridgewater, there are concerns surrounding the health of Bradford’s knee. Unlike Bridgewater, the former Rams and Eagles’ QB’s recent issues were caused simply by wear and tear.

This fall, regardless of who starts Week 1, the Purple will have very real Super Bowl aspirations. If it’s the Oklahoma alum under center, can he sustain an entire seasons worth of wear and tear without flying to Florida to visit Dr. James Andrews? How much can he take until he has to have it cleaned up again? The way I see it, Sam Bradford’s knee is too weak to carry the weight of Skol Nation.

To address the worries surrounding Bridgewater’s health, that situation is entirely different. Albeit horrific, Teddy 2 Gloves has had just ONE knee injury throughout his NFL career. Sammy Boy missing time is a recurring theme. That shit is almost habitual. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me three/four times, I’m a jackass.

Now that Bradford is eliminated, and Teddy’s health has been addressed, let’s move on to the four remaining candidates: Bridgewater, Case Keenum, Alex Smith, and Kirk Cousins.

As for the former Michigan State Spartan, Cousins is expected to draw a long-term, big-money deal this offseason. Investing in him means investing in a 29 year-old QB who has digressed in EACH of his last two seasons.

I do not like that. F*ck no. I’m out on, Kirk.

Due to Keenum’s late season struggles, and uncertainties surrounding how much of his success can be attributed to Pat Shurmur’s scheme, I don’t consider him proven enough to warrant a long-term deal. However, rather than trade an asset away to acquire Alex Smith, I’d much prefer we slap the franchise tag on Case, if we are looking to spend $20 million.

The projected amount of going the franchise tag route is $23.55 million. In comparison, the Chiefs 2017 QB has a $20.6M cap hit next season. Coming off of his fifth season in Kansas City, the 33 year-old Smith finished the year with a lower QBR than the four-year younger Keenum in 2017. With Andy Reid as his coach, a now promoted OC of his own, and playmakers like Kareem Hunt, Tyreke Hill, and Travis Kelce surrounding him, he had just as good, if not a better situation to succeed in 2017 as did Case Keenum.

• A) Resign or Franchise Tag Case Keenum & make him the starter.
• B) Resign Teddy Bridgewater & make him the starter.
• C) Resign Sam Bradford & make him the starter.
• D) Sign Kirk Cousins & make him the starter.
• E) Trade for Alex Smith & make him the starter.

Alright…. so we are down to 2. 

Prior to 2017, Keenum had been in the league for five seasons. After getting no game-time his rookie year, he has ACTUALLY played for two different franchises in a four-year span. Not once in those four seasons was his QBR higher than what Teddy achieved in EITHER of his first two NFL campaigns.

There is an argument being made that Case just needed his opportunity in an improved system. The concept is that once he got that chance in 2017, he was able to finally showcase his abilities. On the opposite side of that fence, personally, I’m curious to see what the Louisville alum could do in an improved system. Keenum’s time with the Purple has been with a now promoted OC, Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and the best 3rd down defense in 25 years. In 2014 Bridgewater’s leading receivers were (a WAY past his prime) Greg Jennings, Jarius Wright, and Charles Johnson. As for 2015, it was a rookie Diggs, Wright, and Kyle Rudolph. In both of those seasons, the Bridgewater-led offense was at the mercy of then OC, Norv Turner.

Panthers going after Norv Turner. You can’t spell TURNOVER without Norv Turner

— Vikings Memes (@SkolMemes) January 9, 2018

Teddy has voiced his desire, whether it’s in Minnesota or someone else, to be a starter. Let’s make it Minnesota. Due to the concern about his knee, teams don’t seem willing to offer him any sort of long-term deal. With little to no competition on that realm, for a lot CHEAPER than the other options, whether they decide to “toll” him or not, the Vikings should lock up Bridgewater for a one-year deal. Give Mr. 2 Gloves the keys to the car. The proverbial engine on this vehicle, which includes both the vast improved Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, is a souped of version of what he was driving during his first two NFL seasons.

According to my watch, it’s Teddy Time.

• A) Resign or Franchise Tag Case Keenum & make him the starter.
• B) Resign Teddy Bridgewater & make him the starter.
• C) Resign Sam Bradford & make him the starter.
• D) Sign Kirk Cousins & make him the starter.
• E) Trade for Alex Smith & make him the starter.

#SKOL

Johnny Minnesota @TheJohnnyMN
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com