Kirk Cousins Update: Vikings, Broncos, Browns, Jets Are Potential Top Suitors

Where will Kirk Cousins play in 2018? That will be the biggest question of the NFL offseason until the quarterback finally joins another team.

Whether he becomes a free agent—the most likely option—or signs the franchise tag and gets traded, it’s a near certainty that Cousins won’t be back with the Washington Redskins. The organization reportedly has a deal in place to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs, making any team with cap space and a vacancy at quarterback a potential option for the 29-year-old.

There have been plenty of rumors and speculation regarding where Cousins might land, though little is known about where the quarterback actually wants to play.

“At the end of the day, I want to win,” Cousins said on Sirius XM Radio on Feb. 2. “I was talking with Coach (Charlie) Weis earlier and he made it clear, ‘Hey, go where you can win.’ That’s exactly what the plan is. Now ... there are a ton of variables that decide, ‘Do we think we can win?’ But that will ultimately be what makes the decision.”

If winning immediately is Cousins’ priority, a handful of teams are logical candidates.

Among all the teams that might realistically pursue Cousins, the Minnesota Vikings would give him the best chance to win the Super Bowl in 2019. With the NFL’s top-ranked defense this past season, the Vikings came one victory shy of reaching the big game, losing to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Even if Cousins wants to play in Minnesota, it’s not certain that the Vikings would use their salary cap space to give the quarterback a nine-figure contract. They might instead choose to go with Case Keenum or Teddy Bridgewater, both of whom were on the roster last season.

Cousins could turn the Denver Broncos into a championship contender. Despite a 5-11 finish to the season, Denver ranked third in total defense, and it was just a couple of years ago that the unit led the Broncos to a title. You can bet that general manager John Elway doesn’t want to enter the 2018 season with Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler or Paxton Lynch as his starting quarterback.

Denver is considered by many to be the favorite to sign Cousins, followed by the New York Jets. New York has the sixth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and more money to spend than almost anyone else.

The Cleveland Browns are one of the exceptions with more than $110 million available below the salary cap threshold, according to Spotrac. Cleveland won’t win a title in 2018 after having a winless record in 2017, but they have the makings of a bright future. A year after taking defensive end Myles Garrett with the first overall draft pick, the Browns own the No.1 and No.4 overall selections.

Cousins threw for 4,093 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2017. He’s posted passer ratings of 93.9, 97.2 and 101.6 in the last three seasons.