Kirk Cousins will hit the open market in free agency and the Denver Broncos will get the opportunity to bid for his services. Let’s take a look at how Cousins could fit in Denver’s offense.
As we all know, the Denver Broncos need to make a massive upgrade at the quarterback position. They will need to pick one up in free agency or the draft if they want to make a change this off-season. However, getting the team’s future franchise quarterback may not be as easy as it seems.
Terez A. Paylor, Chiefs beat writer for the Kansas City Star, broke the news that the Kansas City Chiefs traded quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins for a third round pick and Kendall Fuller. It appears that the Redskins are set to let Kirk Cousins hit free agency since they just received Smith in their most recent trade .
There’s going to be a high demand for Cousins’ services, considering there are multiple teams that are in need of a quarterback. As we head toward the off-season, the two major questions that everyone has, is which team is going to sign him? And how much money will it take to get him to sign on the dotted line?
This could be Denver’s chance to land a competent starting quarterback. At this point in the game, he’s the most talent option available and is the safest bet for the franchise. How much are the Broncos willing to spend on their next quarterback? Cousins’ price tag might reach epic proportions, causing the Broncos to not be able to sign him in free agency. Are the Broncos prepared to open up their wallet to get their guy?
What exactly is Cousins worth?
So, according to Michael Ginnitti, writer and co-founder of Spotrac.com, Cousins will be worth roughly $28.6 million per year once he hits the open market. One way to project a player’s future contract is to look at previous contracts from other players at the same position. In 2017, Matt Stafford signed a five-year, $135 million contract with $92 million guaranteed. Market, inflation and overall competition are all factors that can influence a player’s contract. However, Cousins’ next deal should exceed what Stafford received in 2017. Mainly, because there are more bidders for his services who have a lot of cap space to play with.
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The Cleveland Browns are the big boys at the poker table with over $110 million in cap space and if they wanted, they could make Cousins the richest man in football. With the team’s recent history, making Cousins the highest paid player in the league might be what it takes to get him to sign with the Browns.
Sitting to the left of the Browns at the poker table is the New York Jets who have around $80 million in cap space heading in the off-season. They have a big fan base and are in desperate need of a star quarterback.
The Minnesota Vikings may not have the most money at the poker table, but they are still one of the best teams in the NFL. If Cousins wants to win a Super Bowl anytime soon, then Minnesota might be the place to go. They have two young talented wide receivers and one of the toughest defenses in the league.
At the middle of the poker table, sit the Jacksonville Jaguars. They are casually playing while ordering drinks to just have fun. Jacksonville might be interested in Cousins, but they or more likely going to fold and settle with Blake Bortles as their franchise quarterback.
The New York Giants are about to cash out their chips and head home with Eli Manning, but they are waiting to see how large the pot actually gets before they call it quits. They aren’t major players in this poker tournament, but could make a run if they get the right cards.
Ever since the Arizona Cardinals’ wife left them (Carson Palmer), the team has been in desperate need of a quarterback, considering they have all the weapons and are built to contend now, Arizona could be a great destination for Cousins.
A lot needs to happen in order for the Broncos to win this poker tournament. There’s a lot of competition for the grand prize (Kirk Cousins) and they will need to do whatever it takes if they want to come home with the gold. They currently have about $29 million in cap space, but they can create more if they either cut or trade Aqib Talib.
Considering the other teams that are bidding for Cousins’ services, Denver could be one of the front runners, but when it comes to cap space and potential talent, they might not be the most lucrative option. Anything can happen with John Elway pulling the strings which means the Broncos will always be in the thick of things until Cousins makes his final decision.
Even though the Broncos finished last season with a 5-11 record, they are still a quarterback away from being one of the top teams in the AFC West Division. They had one of the toughest defenses in the league last year. There’s plenty of potential on the offensive side of the ball as well, considering when healthy, they have one of the top wide receiver duos in the NFL with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. There’s a chance that one or both of these receivers could be gone by the start of the season, but until something happens, let’s forecast the team’s future with them still on the roster.
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Cousins ability to accurately distribute the ball to his receivers will immediately help the offense. The team has been yearning for quarterback ever since Peyton Manning retired and Cousins will be the team’s best option.
With a hefty price tag to pay, signing Cousins may not be the best move. They could get one of the top quarterbacks in draft with their first-round selection. Or they could chose to sign a more affordable option in free agency like Sam Bradford or even Jay Cutler. There are plenty of options on the table for the Broncos and it’s going to be interesting to see what they do in the off-season.