Kirk Cousins is finally free after the Washington Redskins traded for another quarterback, allowing their former starter to move on. The Redskins acquired Alex Smith in a trade, which virtually signaled their intention to part ways with Cousins this offseason.
Cousins’ future was left in hanging in the balance until the Smith trade. There were speculations Washington will franchise tag the 29-year-old quarterback for the third time, but it is now confirmed the parties have agreed to go into different directions, ESPN reported.
Kirk Cousins could move to Peyton Manning’s former playground
With Cousins now free to choose his next destination, the quarterback is now being linked to several teams. The Denver Broncos were immediately tagged as one of the favorites to sign the six-year veteran.
According to Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting, his sources privy to the situation expect Cousins to sign with the Broncos. It was revealed Galko also asked scouts, coaches and general managers about their take on Cousins, and the Broncos emerged as the most likely landing spot for the former Michigan State standout.
Moving to Denver makes a lot of sense for Cousins. According to Chris Wesseling of NFL Network, the Illinois native will prioritize signing with a stable franchise instead of considering dollar value as the main factor for his decision.
Signing with the Broncos could also help Cousins reach the next level, while Denver will also finally solve their quarterback woes. Denver has yet to find stability in the quarterback position since Peyton Manning decided to retire.
Don’t count the New York Jets out in the Kirk Cousins race
But aside from Denver, the New York Jets are also emerging as strong contenders in the race to acquire Kirk Cousins.
The Jets also struggled to stabilize their quarterback position in the past several years. They signed several QBs but did not find a lot of success since Brett Favre’s one-year stint with the franchise.
Determined to improve significantly next season, NFL insider Jason La Canfora pointed out that it will be hard for teams to outbid the Jets.
The Jets have the room to give the 2016 Pro Bowler a contract around $120 million, which will be too much to match for other interested teams.
Cousins, who completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 4,093 yards this season, also made it no secret that he is a big fan of Jets offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, CBS Sports reported. He said that signing Bates was a wise decision for New York, who will look to improve from a 5-11 finish this season.
