Ranking the top 6 destinations for Cousins after Redskins landed Smith
Let the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes begin.
The Redskins reportedly agreed to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs in an out-of-nowhere blockbuster Tuesday, and in so doing, effectively ended the Cousins era in Washington.
Cousins, who played under the franchise tag over the last two seasons, will now be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. And while the veteran isn't among the best players at his position, it's almost unheard of for a 29-year-old Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback to hit the open market.
A bidding war is inevitable, so which teams have the best shot at securing his services?
6. Buffalo Bills
Projected 2018 cap space: $29.4 million
The Bills have made it clear they don't believe in Tyrod Taylor as their long-term starter, and Nathan Peterman is likely to be a hard sell after his five-interception performance, so Buffalo should be in the quarterback market.
The problem for Buffalo is it can't offer anything to Cousins that other teams can't. The Bills were a playoff team (just), sure, but little about their roster stands out - especially on the offensive side. LeSean McCoy is obviously a star, but at 29 years old, he'll likely only be around with Cousins for a season or two.
Buffalo does own two first-round picks with which to boost their roster, but they'd be hard-pressed to sign Cousins and other significant free agents with their available cap space. Sorry, Bills nation, Cousins likely won't be your savior.
5. New York Jets
Projected 2018 cap space: $72.6 million
The Jets have the money to pique Cousins' interest, as well as the lure of playing in a huge market like New York, but they're far down the list of contenders when it comes to the quality of their roster.
Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, and Bilal Powell are solid but hardly compelling weapons, and Cousins may be hesitant to lock himself into another subpar offense in terms of talent after experiencing losing his top two targets - DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon - before this season and watching most of his remaining targets go down with injury during the campaign.
The real issue with the Jets is the inherent dysfunction for which the franchise is known. Cousins has been at the whim of one such franchise for years now, and is likely looking for a more stable team to help guide him through the prime of his career.
4. Cleveland Browns
Projected 2018 cap space: $109.7 million
Seriously, don't laugh.
The Browns have an insane amount of cap space and a solid group of offensive weapons - including Josh Gordon, Duke Johnson, and Corey Coleman - to entice Cousins. While unlikely, Cleveland could blow every other contender out of the water and push Cousins' contract toward $35 million per year.
Of course, Cousins would need to be blown away by the pitch from a team that's won just one game in two seasons. But new Browns general manager John Dorsey is highly regarded and could sell the quarterback on the potential of the Browns' roster, the team's two top-four picks, and the fact he can make him richer than any other player in NFL history.
3. Minnesota Vikings
Projected 2018 cap space: $52.6 million
The three quarterbacks on the Vikings' 2017 roster - Sam Bradford, Case Keenum, and Teddy Bridgewater - are all out of contract and set to be free agents, so Minnesota needs to find an answer under center.
Re-signing Bridgewater on a relatively small one-year deal and franchise-tagging Keenum is the most likely path for the Vikings, but they have the cap space to enter the race for Cousins.
He'd likely give his non-throwing arm to toss passes to the duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, as well as being backed up by Minnesota's dominant defense. It would be a bold move for the Vikings after a successful 2017, and Keenum would certainly be the cheaper option.
However, if Minnesota thinks it's a quarterback upgrade away from a Super Bowl title, they could be a dark-horse candidate for Cousins.
2. Denver Broncos
Projected 2018 cap space: $29 million
John Elway needs to make another splash at quarterback if the Broncos are to rebound from a dismal 2017, and dipping into the free-agent market didn't work out too badly last time with Peyton Manning.
Despite their struggles this season, the Broncos are still built to contend now - and Cousins said Tuesday he'll prioritize winning over money. Denver would likely need to shed some of its high-priced veterans on the defensive side - such as Aqib Talib - to have enough room to make a run at Cousins, but they should still be able to keep a solid core around him.
Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian definitely aren't the answer, but the Broncos - and Elway especially - might be reluctant to go all-in on Cousins and could position themselves as a solid mid-tier option if he truly favors on-field success over maximizing his contract.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected 2018 cap space: $16.5 million
If Cousins wants to win now, he should look no further than the Jaguars, who are coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance in which they pushed the New England Patriots to the brink.
The Jaguars' vaunted defense is chock full of young, affordable talent, and while the opposite side of the ball isn't nearly as loaded, Cousins would elevate the unit simply through sheer competency after years of being held back by Blake Bortles.
Speaking of Bortles, chasing Cousins would require Jacksonville to move on from its longtime starter. Bortles' $19-million fifth-year option is only guaranteed for injury and he can be released with no financial consequences before mid-March.
The only real question for the Jaguars is if they want to invest so much in a quarterback when their defense has proven it's capable of carrying the team with minimal help from the offense.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Stats courtesy: Over The Cap)