Lions
- The Athletic’s Chris Burke notes Lions WR Kenny Golladay‘s lack of an extension could be because the Lions don’t want to meet his asking price with the ability to use the tag on him next year.
- Golladay went over 100 yards receiving Sunday, though, and captioned a photo: “This shit gone cost you! Don’t let that go over y’all head…”
Packers
Like they have all season, the Packers jumped out to a lead against the Buccaneers on Sunday, scoring the game’s first 10 points. Tampa Bay rattled off the next 38, however, to hand Green Bay its first loss of the season. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who tossed two picks and was sacked six times, was looking on the bright side afterward, though.
“You don’t ever want to lose like this,” Rodgers said via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “I felt like we needed a little bit of a wake-up call at some point this season because things have been so good and there’s been so much talk maybe outside the building about the ease with which we’re moving the ball on offense and scoring. I think we needed kind of a kick in the ass a little bit. There’s a little bit of wake-up to stop feeling ourselves so much and get back to the things that got us to this position. I think this would be, unfortunately but fortunately, something we can really grow from.”
- Packers HC Matt LaFleur said he’s hopeful LT David Bakhtiari‘s injury isn’t that serious. (Tom Silverstein)
- The Packers also believe DL Tyler Lancaster‘s shoulder injury isn’t serious and he won’t miss much time. (Demovsky)
Vikings
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins tossed another three interceptions on Sunday to push his total to 10 on the season which currently leads the NFL. Two of the three picks were awful decisions as well, the type Minnesota doesn’t expect to see from the franchise quarterback it just extended this past offseason. While the Vikings have a ton committed to Cousins, the veteran knows that doesn’t guarantee him much if he doesn’t improve.
“The reality is if the pace I’m on in terms of the interceptions, if that were to continue, I won’t finish the season,” Cousins said via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I won’t — you know what I mean? There’s a little bit of, you got to improve. Whether it’s them telling me, ‘Hey, we gotta improve,’ or them pulling me; we got to get better. That’s what the rest of the season will be about for me, is trying to protect the football as best I can. Because when you turn the ball over, it really hurts your chances to win. I know that. I just need to improve as we look ahead to the rest of the season.”
- Over The Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald writes that for the Vikings to cut Cousins next year, they would instantly have to write him a check for the $21 million he’s guaranteed in 2021 as a part of his extension. The remaining $10 million signing bonus proration would accelerate for a total of $41 million in dead money and a loss of $10 million in cap space.
- It doesn’t get better if they wait, as Cousins’ $35 million 2022 salary is set to become fully guaranteed by the third day of the 2021 league year.
- Fitzgerald notes a trade would be a decent solution as the guarantees in Cousins’ contract would shift to the team acquiring him. However, if Cousins’ play doesn’t improve that $35 million guarantee in 2022 would be a hard sell.
- Ultimately, Minnesota could designate Cousins a June 1 cut, which would carry an astronomical $31 million dead money hit next year but would not cost the Vikings any more cap space.
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