Tomlin took Kirk Cousins out to dinner?

It seems the FO is interested in this guy as a QB they can grab in mid rounds as a back up or future replacement to Ben Roethlisberger. Just wondering if anyone can confirm this and what your thoughts are on it.

 

yeah here is the story

EAST LANSING -- Quarterback Kirk Cousins, who led Michigan State to a Big Ten division title and Outback Bowl victory last season, had dinner with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin on Tuesday, then showed his arm strength with a strong workout at MSU's Pro Day on Wednesday.

Cousins threw in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams -- Tomlin and some NFL coordinators and scouts included -- at the Duffy Daugherty Football Building, hitting his receivers on short routes and long ones as deep as 60 yards.

It was just the display Cousins was seeking after his solid performance last month at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.

Cousins tossed the ball around for at least half an hour, missing only a handful of times and generally putting the ball on the numbers.

"I feel it was a good day," Cousins said after a Pro Day in which a dozen Spartans participated. "It wasn't a perfect day, and I'm the kind of guy who likes things to be perfect. There were a few throws I'd like back. But at the end of the day, the point of it is to show your basic skill set, and I think my footwork, my leadership and my accuracy and velocity ... I think I showed what I was capable of."

On dinner with Tomlin, Cousins said: "We had a good conversation. It wasn't a hard-core interview. It was laid-back. It was just getting to know them, and they wanted to know me.

"Every team that is talking to you, it's hard to read into anything. As it gets closer to the draft, it becomes clearer who is legitimately interested. But for them to take the time out to be with me, I thought it was neat. I enjoyed meeting and speaking with them, and you can understand after having dinner with them for a couple hours why they win consistently, because you can tell they know what they are doing."

Cousins said he has talked to 25 NFL teams, including the quarterback coach of the Lions.

"I'm interested in anyone who is interested in me," Cousins said.

Trenton Robinson, B.J. Cunningham, Keith Nichol, Keshawn Martin, Brian Linthicum and Edwin Baker -- who ran the fastest 40 of the day, at 4.43 seconds -- also had impressive outings Wednesday.

Nichol was the busiest Spartan. He soared to the day's high of 39 1/2 inches in the vertical leap, ran the 40, did 13 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, performed in the short shuttle run and three-cone drills, and threw and caught balls.

"It was a good day," said Nichol, who ran out of the marked course on his first 40 but did another two. "I just tried to compete to the best of my ability and ... to show I was a complete player, and I think they saw that today. I'm talking to a bunch of teams -- I can't be too specific."

Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, a potential first-round pick who weighed in at 303 pounds, had the second-best bench total of the day with 28 reps (fullback Todd Anderson did 35). He felt he did well enough after a so-so effort at the combine.

"I think I had a successful day," he said. "To be here with family and friends was a great feeling. It was a more comfortable atmosphere than it was in Indy. I give myself an 'A.' You want to always go out there and kill it -- do an A-plus. But overall it was a successful day ... and showed the coaches and scouts I'm staying in shape and still have it."

MSU coach Mark Dantonio prowled the sideline, smiling mostly. He was asked whether having so many NFL reps helps recruiting and the image of the program.

"Yeah, I think it does. It sends a message to everyone that this is the place that has great chemistry," he said. "But not only great chemistry -- but great guys who can go on and play at the next level.

"That's a positive for the program and shows where we've come. I've said all along that if you win 11 games the last two years, you do that because you have great players, and that shows today."

 

More likely to discuss his team mates work ethic. No way Cousins makes it out of the 3rd round, and no way the Steelers draft a backup QB before the 5th round.

 

More than likely this

 

This would be a good pickup mid round.

 

I think the Team really likes this guy....Ben is getting banged up a lot more frequent and it is clear he is not a elite QB if his mobility is not there...The jury is out as to if he will learn to play from the pocket and learn to get the ball out quicker ?IMO if he does not I think 2 or 3 seasons is all he has left..

Cousins will be way gone before the 5th. ,as the board fell in our Mock Draft Cousins may be the BPA for us in round #2...

 

Wow, @ 2 that would be a huge pick for us in terms of risk reward.

Pondering this...

 

so instead of Dafting signing Linemen to protect him! they daft a guy who isnt nearly as big or can take the hits? SMDH

 

You can only protect Ben as much as his play will allow...I do agree we need a OG in a bad way ,but chances are very good that a 2nd. round guy wouldn't be much better than the ones we already have...

Cousins won't have to take the hits that Ben does,,,no QB takes hits the way Ben does this is Ben's style and he needs to change that style....If you read my post I said if the board falls similar to our mock draft then Cousins would not be a bad pick IMO....As I stated QB'S and WR'S have the most potential for future value...So if the Steelers have a top 4 grade on Cousins and I think they do it is a smarter choice to take him instead of the 4th. best OG or the 4th. best NT or the 7th. or 8th. best WR....

I could go on ,but I hope you get what I am saying.....The bottom line is Cousins is better than the pundits give him credit for and we need a solid #2 QB.....Maybe the Team wants to push Ben to play smarter and to listen to the staff , what better way than draft a Good QB esp. if the boards fall that way....I suspect Coach T and the staff are thinking along these lines....

 

Not really because we actually have a OC who could put a plan in place to make Cousins look really good IMO....Would be nice to create value while having a better option if needed.....Best case Ben plays great stays healthy,Cousins plays great in pre season and in mop up time and Boom we have instant value and the pick is a brillliant move....

Worst case is Ben goes down and Cousins can't play for crap at which point the pick is very similar to the outcome of the 4th. or 5th. best OG IMO....

So by my take the risk is minimal if the draft falls a certain way and the reward could be great in many different ways...

I will not be surprised if we draft Cousins....

 

And if we don`t draft him, who is our backup qb?
Batch? (personally, I like him, but have questions as to his durability/ability at his age, even though he hasn`t taken many hits over the years, plus, the organization seems to have been trying to cut him for 2 years, but injuries forced them to keep him)
Lefty? (I don`t know what his status is. I assume he has recovered from the broken arm, but still wants to be a starter somewhere, although I doubt any other team would make him a starter, and I don`t really trust him 100% as a backup. Sure we could do worse, but I would HOPE we can do better)
Dixon? (My gut says he is gone, to take a chance on another team who would either make him a starter, or give him a legit chance at it. I truly don`t know if he could be, or not. Just not enough meaningful time on the field, for me to judge. Had a ton of talent in college, then got injured. Since then, I have no idea what he has shown in practice.)
So what does that leave us?
Troy Smith, and another guy whose name I can`t remember, that we signed to "reserve contracts" this off season.
I`m a Buckeye fan, so I know Troy Smith for what he is. A backup qb.
The other guy, looked impressive, in some highlight clips I saw posted here, and was in the running for the Heisman trophy, but I`m not sure what happened with that, or how good he is...
Soooo... I`m just praying Ben "tweaks" his style and stays healthy.
At the moment, if he goes down to a signifigant injury, we in deep poo-poo, IMHO...
(Also, I agree with PWP, that bringing in some "serious" competition(At least as serious as it can be, given the sitch...), might light more of a fire under Ben`s butt, and that couldn`t be a bad thing. Even if he knows the job is his, he probably would want to look better than the kid they bring in, at training camp, and at practice...
just my 2cents...

 

Lefty is ready to go amd if not on the ir could have returned last yeR. I remember reading an article where lefty said he has no problem being the next batch for the steelers. I know him ben didnt really get along at first but that is all in the past. To me lefty is a good back up but every time he winds up my heart stops. I feel like harrison would cuase like five fumbles against him.

 

Think it was at least 3 years Rodgers waited for Favre.

 

there is nothing wrong with a good ,young #2 qb in the nfl. cousins is a winner.