With the Washington Redskins acquiring Alex Smith in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, it is all but certain that Kirk Cousins will be playing for another team next season. After receiving the franchise tag from the Redskins the past two seasons and not being able to sign with the team long term, Cousins will now be one of the most coveted free agents this offseason. Cousins is 29 years old and in the prime of his career. After being drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Cousins started off his career as the backup to Robert Griffin III, the 2nd overall pick in that same draft. Griffin was plagued with injuries throughout his time in Washington, which gave Cousins the opportunity to prove he deserves to be a starting quarterback in this league, and he did just that. Since becoming the full time starter in 2015, Cousins has passed for 9,476 yards, 81 touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns. Cousins also has a passer rating of 97.5 over that span.
(photo via Business Insider)
There are many teams in the NFL who would love to have a quarterback like Kirk Cousins on their roster, but only so many teams have the cap space to do so.
One very interesting team that could land Kirk Cousins is the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have struggled in recent memory mainly due to poor quarterback play and being unable to find a successor to the great Peyton Manning. If the Broncos are able to sign Cousins to a long-term deal, they become one of the most dangerous teams in the league. They have an elite receiving core with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, a top tier defense that is led by Von Miller, and Hall of Famer John Elway as the General Manager. The Broncos are a quarterback away from getting back to the playoffs, and Kirk Cousins could be the person who makes them a Super Bowl contender.
Another team that could be a contender for Kirk Cousins are the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have over $100 Million in cap space and could give a huge contract to Kirk Cousins this offseason. Even though they went winless this season and have only won one game in the past two years, the Browns have a bright future and they could be a good fit for Cousins. The Browns have a great offensive line and a very young and athletic receiving core with Josh Gordon, Corey Coleman, Duke Johnson, and David Njoku. With Kirk Cousins, the Browns can have a much-improved offense and could cause some trouble in the AFC North. The Browns lost six games this season by one possession, which shows the competitiveness of this young team. If you throw in Kirk Cousins, along with two of the top four picks in this year’s draft, the Browns could surprise many people for years to come. Kirk Cousins could be the person who turns around this Cleveland franchise.
The Minnesota Vikings can also be a very good fit for Cousins. The Vikings have an amazing receiving core led by Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, as well as a top three defense in the league. The Vikings do have three quarterbacks (Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Bradford) who will be free agents this offseason, so rather than paying to keep these quarterbacks, they can give Cousins a big contract and the opportunity to win a Super Bowl. This Vikings team just made the NFC Championship game this past season and Cousins is arguably better than Keenum, Bradford and Bridgewater, which makes them an instant Super Bowl contender. Cousins has also expressed interest in joining the Vikings, so do not be surprised if the Vikings go hard after Kirk Cousins in free agency.
Many other teams could be in the market for Kirk Cousins. Teams like the Jets, Cardinals and Bills are other possible destinations for Cousins, but the Broncos or Vikings seem like the best fits for the 29-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback.
The trade with the Chiefs for Alex Smith is not official until mid-March, and the Redskins are still considering using the franchise tag on Cousins yet again, so Kirk could ultimately end up staying with the Redskins for another season. However, it looks like Cousins will make his way out of our nation’s capital and have to find a new home for next season.
Devon Auriemma can be reached at devon.auriemma@student.shu.edu.