How Lane Johnson’s Retirement Will Affect the Eagles and More Questions for Week 5

PelisseroBut certainly, Max has made an impact, and he walked back in the door of a vastly improved Raiders defense. To the Cousins point, I actually wrote about this over the weekend, the only other team that even really called on Kirk Cousins as a starter was the Cardinals. They were about to be in that off -season long battle with Jacoby Brissett over his contract.

PelisseroAnd Michael Fleur, similar type of an offense, so Kirk could have walked in there. Very similar to Clint Kubiak, but Clint was the one who was all over Kirk to get him to Las Vegas. Didn't want to have to play Mendoza immediately.

PelisseroThey had to work out the money because Kirk wasn't going to play for free. They end up doing a, let's just call it, very creative structure where the Falcons are paying most of the money this year and the Raiders are paying a $10 million bonus next year. I still would not take off the table.

PelisseroAnd I know that I get killed by Raiders fans every time I say it. I still think there's a scenario out there, Shield, where some quarterback gets hurt late October, early November, and somebody throws a big pick at the Raiders and they just have to seriously think about it. If they're in the playoff chase and they're on target to, you know, go to the playoffs, it's going to be hard.

PelisseroLet's say you get offered like a second round pick for Kirk Cousins, who's on essentially a rental deal. You do have this, you know, kind of right in the contract is the way they structured it, where they have a limited window to trade him or cut him or keep him. Pick up his 22 year, $80 million option in March.

PelisseroBut like, if you got offered a big pick now, it's not the wildest thing in the world for a 38 year old quarterback, who's probably not your starter next season to say we'd consider it. But right now, Kirk's playing at a really, you know, really, really high level and good for him. He's also on his 11th straight year of fully guaranteed money, which is always my favorite stat.

PelisseroHe's Mr. Fully Guaranteed.