Kirk Cousins said last month he believed the Redskins were willing to commit to him in the long term, On Tuesday, with the team’s acquisition of Alex Smith, he learned otherwise.
But don’t feel sorry for Cousins. The Redskins’ castoff is set to become the highest-paid player in the NFL this offseason. The 29-year-old quarterback will hit the market in his prime, and he will have a number of teams vying for his services.
Cousins’ free agency will dominate league chatter in March, so much so that casinos set odds on where he’ll end up.
The drama will be fun to follow. Here’s a look at the teams believed to be in the running.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos saw firsthand Cousins’ ability when he threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns against their strong defense. It was a performance that inspired a couple of Broncos to wonder aloud whether Cousins could help the anemic Denver offense next season.
Broncos president John Elway has already whiffed on drafting young quarterback — maybe it’s time to reach for a proven veteran like Cousins.
Cousins would be surrounded by talent on both sides of the ball.
DeMaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are a solid pair of receivers.
Denver is projected to have $26.8 million in salary cap room, and can free more space by cutting cornerback Aqib Talib and running back CJ Anderson.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville was a quarterback away from making Super Bowl LII. Blake Bortles has a fifth-year option worth $19 million and the Jaguars must decide if they want to move on. But Bortles had wrist surgery last week, so the Jaguars could be forced to pick up Bortles’ option.
If Bortles is cut, Cousins would be a logical replacement.
Jacksonville’s defense is stacked with stars — defensive lineman Calais Campbell and cornerback Jalen Ramsey — and they had a strong running game with Leonard Fournette.
The Jaguars would have $35.4 million in cap space if Bortles’ option is declined.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota should be very appealing to Cousins. All three Vikings quarterbacks are free agents, including Case Keenum, who started most of the season.
Bringing back Keenum would make sense, but Cousins is perceived to be the better quarterback.
He would pair well with receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs and be bolstered by a well-rounded defense. Second-round running back Dalvin Cook is coming back from a torn ACL.
The Vikings’ $50 million in cap space also ranks seventh. Cousins has said winning is his priority and the Vikings have built a good culture under coach Mike Zimmer.
Cleveland Browns
Don’t laugh. The Browns have the second-most cap space in the NFL with $106 million and could offer Cousins a giant contract with room to still add more.
Cleveland also has additional assets, including the first and fourth picks in the NFL draft.
Defensive end Myles Garrett looks like a star on defense.
Josh Gordon has the potential to be one of the NFL’s best receivers, if he can stay on the field.
And hey, given the Redskins’ dysfunction at times, Cleveland wouldn’t be that much of an adjustment for Cousins.
New York Jets
Cousins has made it clear in the past that he appreciates familiarity.
That’s why the Jets are an intriguing option, solely because of new Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. Bates is a Mike Shanahan protege and Shanahan told the New York Daily News that Bates is a “student of the game.”
Bates wasn’t on Shanahan’s staff in Washington, but the two hold a similar philosophy.
The Jets will have $72 million in cap space, fourth-most in the league. New York’s offense was better than expected with receiver Robby Anderson emerging as a reliable option.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals were reportedly trying to trade for Smith, so it’s only natural if they shift their attention to Cousins.
They need a quarterback after Carson Palmer retired at the end of the season.
Arizona ranked fourth in defensive DVOA and have a dynamic star returning in injured running back David Johnson. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is mulling whether to retire, but Cousins could incentivize him to return.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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