Vikings Could Have Better Chance To Sign Kirk Cousins Than Broncos, Jets

In the four weeks since it was reported that the Washington Redskins would trade for Alex Smith and move on from Kirk Cousins, two teams have been recognized as the favorites to sign the quarterback. The New York Jets are reportedly willing to pay whatever it takes to land the free-agent-to-be, while the Denver Broncos are expected to make a hard push for the signal caller.

The Minnesota Vikings might have something to say about that.

The team that finished last season as the NFC's runner-up is clearly positioning themselves to make a run at Cousins. Minnesota had three starting-caliber quarterbacks on the roster in 2017. All of them are set to hit free agency when the new NFL year begins in March, and the Vikings appear prepared to move on from each one.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Minnesota won’t use the franchise tag on Case Keenum, allowing him to hit the open market. Teddy Bridgewater is also expected to become a free agent with his rookie contract coming to an end. Sam Bradford will be free to sign with any team, though he was never expected to be in the running to become the Vikings' 2018 starter.

There was speculation that Minnesota might tag Keenum following his career-year. The 30-year-old performed like a legitimate top-10 NFL starter for the first time, and the Vikings could’ve kept the veteran without committing to him long-term.

Instead, Minnesota will risk letting Keenum go to another team as they pursue the hottest free agent on the market. It’s a risk that’s probably worth taking, considering what having a proven quarterback under contract for multiple years could mean for the franchise.

No one can say for sure what Keenum’s future holds. He never looked to be anything more than a reliable backup in his first five seasons, throwing nearly as many interceptions as touchdown passes with a sub-80.0 passer rating.

Cousins, on the other hand, is a sure thing. You can debate just how good he actually is, but there’s no doubt that the former Redskins’ starter is among the most reliable quarterbacks in football.

Since being named Washington’s starter for the 2015 season, Cousins has played in all 48 games. In every season, he's thrown for at least 4,000 yards and 25 touchdown passes while posting better than a 93.0 passer rating and a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Only Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford have been able to hit those marks in each of the last three years.

Minnesota doesn’t need an elite quarterback in order to win their first Super Bowl—not with this defense. The Vikings ranked first in both points and yards allowed during the 2017 season. They’ve had a top-six scoring defense in each of the last three years, never giving up more than 19.2 points per contest.

Denver’s defense is the chief reason they are thought to have a real chance at landing Cousins. They’ve ranked no worse than fourth in yards allowed in each of the last three years, and the Broncos are just two seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl with an all-time great defensive unit.

But the Vikings’ pitch to Cousins should be much more attractive than anything the Broncos can promise the quarterback.

Over half the league has more money to spend this offseason than Denver, who is less than $28 million below the salary cap threshold, according to Spotrac. Cousins is expected to command close to $30 million a season, especially given the five-year, $137.5 million contract Jimmy Garoppolo just signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Broncos can certainly find ways to free up more money. That would require trading away some of their best veterans, possibly wide receiver Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen give Minnesota one of the NFL’s best receiving corps, and neither one is a candidate to be traded this offseason.

The Vikings have around $55 million to spend with many of their top performers under contract for multiple years. Thielen, Dalvin Cook, Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph, Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, and three starting offensive linemen are all signed through at least 2020.

New York can offer Cousins more money than Minnesota. The New York Post reported that the Jets might be willing to guarantee the quarterback $60 million in 2018, a deal that the Vikings wouldn’t be able to match.

The Jets, however, would seemingly give Cousins less of a chance to reach the Super Bowl. New York went 5-11 in 2017, missing the playoffs for a sixth straight year and finishing the season with one of the NFL’s worst defenses.

Cousins did several interviews during Super Bowl week, explaining that finding a team that gives him a chance to win would be his top priority in free agency. There’s no doubt that joining the 13-win Vikings would put the quarterback in a better position to win a title than signing with a team that registered more than twice as many losses as victories.

That still doesn’t mean the Vikings are necessarily the frontrunners to sign Cousins.

Maybe a more lucrative contract offer from the Jets would be too much to turn down. Cousins has played the last three seasons on one-year deals, and a ton of guaranteed money could be what ultimately puts him in the Big Apple.

There’s also the lure of playing under the bright lights of New York City compared to Minneapolis, where it was just two degrees when Super Bowl LII kicked off a few weeks ago at U.S. Bank Stadium.

On paper, at least, Minnesota is the best fit for a quarterback that wants to both win and get paid.