was clear Wednesday while making the media rounds ahead of the in Minnesota: he would love to have as the team’s starting quarterback next season.
Of course, the Broncos won’t be alone in that pursuit. Rarely do quarterbacks of Cousins’ caliber hit free agency — a certainty after the Redskins traded for on Tuesday — and the bidding war figures to be fierce. But what does Denver’s competition look like?
Here are five teams that could be in the mix to sign Cousins this spring, with salary cap numbers from Spotrac:
Cleveland Browns
Predicted cap space: $103 million
Their pitch: Cleveland’s biggest asset in the pursuit of Cousins is, well, its assets. Should the Browns sign Cousins, they would be able to use their two top-five draft picks (Nos. 1 and 4) to put weapons — Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, perhaps — around their new quarterback. Even with a high-priced QB and two high picks on their books, the Browns would still have plenty of financial wiggle room to pursue more talent in free agency. And though an 0-16 record wouldn’t suggest it, Cleveland finished 14th in total defense in 2017 and only figures to improve on that side of the ball behind intriguing young talent.
Their hurdle: Cleveland has quite simply been a graveyard of quarterbacks. The Browns have started at least three quarterbacks in the same season five times since 2010, and they haven’t had a quarterback start all 16 games in a season since Tim Couch in 2001.
New York Jets
Predicted cap space: $78 million
Their pitch: Like the Browns, the Jets have more than enough cash to meet the high financial bar that will certainly be set in the pursuit of Cousins. They could fit him onto the roster without having to shed the contracts of players who could be instrumental to the rebuilding process, and playing in a market like New York would also offer the face of the franchise further financial opportunities. Plus, should Patriots QB Tom Brady retire in the next season or two, playing in the AFC East could offer a favorable path to the postseason.
Their hurdle: Cousins would be taking over an offense with limited weapons. The Jets’ top receiver, Robby Anderson (63 catches for 941 yards and seven touchdowns in 2017), has run into repeated legal troubles. They are aging at the running back position and dealt with inconsistency along the offensive line. The Jets don’t appear to be as close to a postseason run as other teams vying for the quarterback’s services.
Minnesota Vikings
Predicted cap space: $56 million
Their pitch: Minnesota has one of the best defenses in the NFL, two standout wide receivers in and , a reliable tight end in , a promising young running back in Dalvin Cook, a brand new indoor stadium and a dedicated fan base. There is plenty for Cousins to like with Minnesota, which could choose to part ways with free agent despite his breakout 2017 season.
Their hurdle: Cousins has stated the opportunity to win would be the most important element of his free-agency decision. Clearly, the Vikings, who were one win away from the Super Bowl this season, stand on firm ground there. The only thing that may be standing in the way of Minnesota’s pursuit of Cousins would be a desire to try to keep Keenum for the sake of continuity.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Predicted cap space: $20 million
Their pitch: Jacksonville was a fourth-quarter collapse away from playing in the Super Bowl. The Jaguars had the league’s best defense in 2017, according to most key qualifiers, and they have a future star at running back in Leonard Fournette. The Jaguars could make the case that an upgrade at quarterback is the last missing piece to put them over the top.
Their hurdle: The Jaguars have less available cash than several other teams that will be pursuing Cousins. They could add $19 million if they cut QB Blake Bortles before the start of the new league year in March. But Bortles’ contract for next season — a fifth-year option picked up by the team — would become guaranteed by injury. Bortles had wrist surgery shortly after the AFC championship, and the timeline of his recovery presents uncertainty about Jacksonville’s financial commitment to the QB.
Arizona Cardinals
Predicted cap space: $27 million
Their pitch: No team outside Denver needs a quarterback more than the Cardinals, who don’t have one under contract in 2018 in the wake of ‘s retirement. Arizona has become a more favorable free-agent destination in recent years and is starting a new era under new head coach Steve Wilks. Plus, you can’t beat the Phoenix-area weather in the fall.
Their hurdle: Money could be a major issue for Arizona, which has many other needs outside the quarterback position. If they are committing $25 million or more per season to Cousins, addressing needs at wide receiver and along the offensive line would become a tougher task. They may decide that a cheaper option — one of the Vikings’ three quarterbacks, for example — may allow them to better construct the rest of the roster.
Others to watch: , New York Giants.
