NFL Rumors: Vikings, Jets, Cardinals Competing For Kirk Cousins, Case Keenum Joining Broncos

Quarterback Drew Brees avoided free agency by signing a two-year contract to stay with the New Orleans Saints. Case Keenum has reportedly agreed to become the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos.

That leaves Kirk Cousins as the lone game-changing quarterback available with NFL free agency officially set to begin Wednesday afternoon. With Denver no longer interested in signing him, the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals appear to be the three possible destinations for the former Washington Redskins’ quarterback.

Minnesota has been considered to be the heavy favorite to sign Cousins over the last few weeks, and multiple reports Tuesday morning indicate that he will pick the Vikings. The team has the salary cap space to make him the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback, and they are a clear Super Bowl contender after reaching the NFC Championship Game.

Nothing is official, however, and it’s still possible that Cousins could leave his visit to Minnesota Wednesday without a deal. Both New York and Arizona are attractive options for various reasons.

The Jets provide the lure of the Big Apple and the ability for Cousins to become this generation’s version of Joe Namath. Gang Green hasn’t won a Super Bowl in 49 years, and the quarterback would become immortalized if he could bring a championship to the much-maligned franchise.

New York can give Cousins as much money as anyone with a report from the New York Post suggesting the team might guarantee him $60 million for the 2018 season alone. The Vikings are reportedly set to guarantee Cousins $84 million over the next three years.

Arizona is just one game under .500 over the last two years without a reliable starting quarterback. With weapons like David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, as well as a talented defense that ranked sixth in 2017, Cousins could make the Cardinals a legitimate threat to win the AFC West.

The Jets and Cardinals seem to have made Cousins their No.1 priority. The Vikings reached out to Brees Monday, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Brees reportedly got $50 million from the Saints with more than half of it guaranteed. Keenum will make between $18 million and $20 million per year with the Broncos, according to Pro Football Talk.

Keenum had his best season as a pro in 2017, leading Minnesota past New Orleans in the divisional playoffs. Cousins has never won a playoff game in his career, though he’s been as consistent as almost anyone in the last three seasons.

Cousins has thrown for at least 25 touchdowns, 4,000 yards and a 93.9 passer rating in every year since 2015.