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EAGAN Jonathan Allen Jersey , Minn. (AP)The leverage of free agency in his prime brought Kirk Cousins the market-setting contract with Minnesota.Now the Vikings have their latest franchise quarterback to try to secure that elusive first Super Bowl victory with.The Vikings wrapped up their welcome party with an $84 million, three-year contract for Cousins on Thursday afternoon, banking big time on the late-blooming former Washington Redskins prospect to finally stabilize a critical position that’s been infamously problematic.”The contract, it is what it is,” Cousins said. ”But what my wife and I are thrilled about is the organization we are walking into.”The money for Cousins is fully guaranteed, the largest such figure in NFL history, at least until the next mega quarterback contract comes along, according to figures tracked by the pro sports financial website spotrac.com . His annual average of $28 million is also, for now, the biggest in the league, at least until the next mega quarterback contract comes along.Team owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf were willing to approve the investment, hopeful that Cousins can be the keystone to a championship squad.”If anybody in this city or this state has a question about their commitment, I think this contract shows that they’re all in,” Cousins said. ”It’s a tremendous amount of belief in me as a person and as a player, and I’m humbled and honored to get the OK on that.”The guarantee of the full value of the deal is unprecedented in the NFL, where a variety of complex factors have kept players from receiving sure-thing contracts like their professional baseball, basketball and hockey peers.His agent, Mike McCartney, began talking to Cousins about the potential for such a groundbreaking deal more than two years ago with the assumption he’d eventually arrive at free agency because of the noncommittal Redskins.”There’s nothing I can pave unless people come after me,” Cousins said at his introductory news conference at the team’s sparkling and still-under construction suburban headquarters. ”I guess history will probably write that.”Cousins will represent the fourth primary quarterback the Vikings have had in as many seasons. As long as he stays healthy throughout the summer, Cousins will also represent the eighth starting quarterback for a season opener in the past nine years.Teddy Bridgewater Charles Mann Jersey , Sam Bradford and Case Keenum all became free agents this week and signed with other teams, so the Vikings didn’t have much of a backup plan if Cousins balked at their offer.But as a team with a star-laden defense and plenty of dynamic skill-position players on offense that reached the NFC championship game last season, the Vikings also represented quite the destination for Cousins.”I came here because of the chance to win,” he said. ”I felt like it was probably the best chance.”Cousins started 57 games over his six seasons with Washington, which drafted him in the fourth round in 2012 behind second overall draft pick Robert Griffin III. RG3’s star faded quickly, though, and Cousins, who was lightly recruited out of Holland Christian High School before landing at Michigan State, worked his way up the depth chart. He topped 4,000 passing yards over each of the past three years.The Redskins appeared in only one postseason game with Cousins at the helm, and his career record as a starter is just 26-30-1. Rarely does a rising quarterback reach free agency before turning 30, though, so after playing for about $20 million in 2016 and about $24 million in 2017 on consecutive franchise tags with Washington, Cousins reached his opportunity to truly cash in after the Redskins acquired Alex Smith in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.”He bet on himself several times and won, and those things are really important to me,” coach Mike Zimmer said. ”He’s always played with a chip on his shoulder. We’re just really excited to have him.”Realizing he was headed for the open market, Cousins began scouring the Twin Cities area while in town for promotional appearances the week of the Super Bowl. Just two days into his visit, the Smith deal went down. Upon phoning home to his wife, Julie, he gave a glowing scouting report of the region.”This is a lifetime deal. That’s the goal,” Cousins said. ”Yes Colt McCoy Jersey , it’s a three-year deal, but the expectation from both sides is that we raise our kids here and if everything goes as planned, we’re here for a long time.”The Vikings began the day $50 million under their salary cap , according to NFL Players Association data, and the deal with Cousins will take up almost half of that with the prospect of expensive extensions looming in the coming year for players such as linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks and wide receiver Stefon Diggs.They still have space to make more improvements this month, though and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was already at the new facility on Thursday for a visit. Richardson, a first-round pick by the New York Jets in the 2013 draft, was traded to the Seattle Seahawks prior to last season.— Hogs Haven takes a look at 2019 NFL Draft prospects who could contribute to the Redskins"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Looks Like Someone Has A Sixpack Of The MondaysDaily SlopRedskins RecapsTo Make Plays At LSU; How Could He Help The Redskins?New,1commentHogs Haven takes a look at 2019 NFL Draft prospects who could contribute to the RedskinsEDTShareTweetShareShareJohn Battle’s Versatile Skillset Allowed Him To Make Plays At LSU; How Could He Help The Redskins?Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsJohn Battle IV, SSchool: LSU | Conference: SECCollege Experience: RS Senior | Age: 23?Height / Weight: 6-0 / 201 lbsProjected Draft Status: 5th RoundNFL Comparison: Adrian PhillipsCollege ExperiencePlayer OverviewLSU defensive backs coach Corey Raymond was able to secure John Battle’s commitment to the program after a long recruitment process where NC State, USC, Tennessee among lots of other schools where trying to lure Battle to their programs. Raymond’s “DBU” pitch, citing how the program has developed secondary prospects and how many make it to the NFL won over Battle. Battle also really wanted to play in the SEC citing that it had “big boy football”. Battle joined a secondary that had future 1st round picks Tre’Davious White and Jamal Adams so he didn’t see much action until after the 2016 season. Once he stepped into the starting role he became a solid contributor to the LSU secondary. He’s was tasked with more responsibilities under defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. It required him to study more and to be more vocal on the field as he came up to the front and called checks for the defensive linemen. Battle posted below average scores at the NFL combine so I’m sure he’s hoping that people go back to the tape to assess his play. Battle figures to be a late day 3 selection who can come in and contribute on special teams to start off his career and potentially get some time on the field on defense as a 3rd safety. StrengthsGood size, physicality, hands and length for the position.Has ability to come downfield in a hurry to help with run support. Read and react ability is good and he takes good pursuit angles. He is successful more times than not when he’s one on one in open space and needs to make a stop. Has the ability to come up and play close to the LOS a la a nickel linebacker. Shows decent fluidity and change of direction ability in coverage. Shows decent range when playing deep zone coverage. Shows good ability to track the ball and shows good hands.Has worked to add strength and weight to take on lineman and work through blocks. Tasked with ability to relay key communication of adjustments to the defensive line.LSU defensive scheme allowed for versatile interchangeable safeties. Battle has experience playing in the box and at free. WeaknessesHigh tackler who sacrifices leverage and power for contact. Looks like more of a big speed bump than powerful authoritative tackler.Eyes can deceive him and he can bite on set up moves from receivers. Once he gets turned around he has trouble resetting his position locating the ball and recovering. Can get lost out there when the play is extended by the QB. Loses where he is on the field in relation to the closest receiving threat and where the ball is. Coverage awareness is lacking.Lacks second gear in his acceleration and agility you want to see at the position.Let’s see his work:More John Battle IV videosHow He Would Fit On The RedskinsBattle’s path to making an NFL roster is going to be through special teams. He is going to have to clean up his tackling technique, hand placement and leverage so he can get off blocks, awareness, and overall sense of urgency to make the final 53. I think a lot of his deficiencies are coachable but coming from DBU with proven position coaches I err on the side of that he has a clear ceiling in some of these areas. He lacks natural coverage instincts which is slightly surprising considering his background as a corner. I’m not sure how much this area can improve but if he could remain more disciplined with his eyes and learn some more technique work in coverage I’m willing to bet he would place himself in a lot of good positions when the ball comes in his area. When it does come to him he’s proven he can finish plays with takeaways. This could take several seasons though and I’m not sure I see him in any other role than a 3rd safety who plays in the box on sub package. The Redskins could still use a player like this to fill out the bottom of the depth chart and it would allow them some more versatility in certain sub packages. I still question if the Redskins want to expand their defensive play calling from the box it’s currently in so it’s quite possible a lot of these well built interchangeable safeties may not be that high on the board for them. Battle disappointed at the combine with his testing numbers but he’ll have a change to improve them so the look more in step with his game film at his pro day. If he can do that he can recapture the attention of a lot of teams including the Redskins.