Why the Vikings shouldn’t have trouble replacing Stefon Diggs

Cousins was doing just fine before he met Diggs

Kirk Cousins was the only quarterback in the NFL during the 2019 season to throw more than three touchdowns of 50+ yards. Seventy-five percent of these touchdowns went to Stefon Diggs. So, Cousins is doomed now that Diggs plays football in western New York, right?

Wrong. Kirk Cousins was completing deep passes in the nation’s capital well in advance of joining the Vikings. And he was doing so at a league-leading clip.

While with the Washington Redskins from 2015-2017, Cousins completed 71 passes of 30 yards or more. It led the NFL in the time frame. Stefon Diggs was not on those teams. In those same three seasons, all Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks completed 58 passes of 30 yards or more. It ranked 13th in the NFL. Diggs was on those teams.

Naturally, when Cousins and Diggs are conjoined on the same roster–the two will have chemistry. One guy heaves deep balls auspiciously; the other guy is apt at hauling them in. It’s a savvy combination.

But the aforementioned evidence suggests Diggs needed Cousins more so than Cousins needed Diggs.

All statistics from Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise stated.