Kirk Cousins Climbs, Stefon Diggs Slides in NFL Network Top 100 Players of 2019

NFL Network continued its countdown of the top 100 players in the league for the 2019 season and revealed Nos. 80 through 71 during Wednesday's broadcast.

Here is a look at the list that also includes the first 20 players who were unveiled earlier in the week.

100. Eric Weddle, S, Los Angeles Rams

99. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

98. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

97. Byron Jones, CB, Dallas Cowboys

96. Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

95. Kyle Fuller, CB, Chicago Bears

94. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs

93. T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

92. Jurrell Casey, DT, Tennessee Titans

91. Andrew Whitworth, OT, Los Angeles Rams

90. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

89. Devin McCourty, S, New England Patriots

88. Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers

87. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

86. Darius Slay, CB, Detroit Lions

85. Frank Clark, DE, Kansas City Chiefs

84. Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

83. Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings

82. Bradley Chubb, LB, Denver Broncos

81. Trent Williams, OT, Washington

80. Mark Ingram, RB, Baltimore Ravens

79. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals

78. Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings

77. Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

76. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

75. Gerald McCoy, DT, Carolina Panthers

74. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas Cowboys

73. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

72. Jason Kelce, C, Philadelphia Eagles

71. C.J. Mosley, LB, New York Jets

As is often the case with quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins stands out among the new additions.

The Michigan State product signed a three-year, $84 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings last offseason, setting up a situation where his production will forever be judged against the head-turning amount of money he makes.

While he finished with solid individual numbers (a career-high 70.1 completion percentage, 4,298 passing yards, 30 touchdown throws and 10 interceptions), the Vikings went from 13-3 and the NFC North champions in 2017 to out of the playoffs entirely with Cousins under center.

Minnesota and its fans are certainly looking to reach the playoffs by committing that much financial capital to the quarterback position, but no postseason didn't stop NFL Network from listing Cousins ahead of household names such as Cam Newton and Carson Wentz and moving him up 16 spots from last year.

Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus is not a fan of Cousins being so high on the list:

Cousins is one of the players facing the most pressure in the league heading into the 2019 campaign. He will be tasked with making the Vikings winners during the course of his contract and will be under the microscope in marquee games after losing both matchups against the division-champion Chicago Bears.

He will at least have Stefon Diggs to throw to, who fell from 65 to 73 in this year's top 100.

Individual numbers were not enough for Cousins to win consistently during the 2018 campaign, although it was enough to climb in these rankings. A division crown in 2019 could set him up for an even bigger leap.