Fansided
Fansided

NFL Free Agency: Who will be the Kirk Cousins of 2019?

By Erik Lambert

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 28: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings passes the ball in the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 28: Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings passes the ball in the first quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

NFL free agency isn’t typically the place a team can find themselves a franchise-caliber quarterback simply because they never become available.

Kirk Cousins became the rare exception in this case. His situation with the Washington Redskins the past couple years was unique.  Despite repeated efforts to work out a long-term extension, the two sides could never find common ground. This despite Washington using the franchise tag on him not once but twice. All that extra time and Cousins never budged once from his level of demand. In the end, Washington let him walk and traded for Alex Smith instead.

Cousins ended up leaving for Minnesota where he’s now earning $28 million a year. Ironically enough, the Redskins appear to have the better team though at 5-2 while the Vikings are 4-3-1. That’s not because of Cousins though. He’s having arguably the best season of his career with 2,521 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. That puts him on pace for 5,042 yards and 32 touchdowns which would both be career highs.

There’s no question the Vikings don’t regret their decision in the slightest. This begs the question. Could there be another Cousins out there on the market in 2019? The odds would seem unprecedented, but crazy things can happen.

Teddy Bridgewater will be the beacon of an otherwise rough FA class

While there will be no quarterback who has been a high-level starter for three years next offseason available (barring an unlikely cut), there will be one hopeful. That is Teddy Bridgewater. The former Pro Bowler has traveled a long road since his tragic knee injury back in 2016. It robbed him of his starting job in Minnesota. Yet he persevered, took advantage of an opportunity in New York and was traded to the New Orleans Saints where he backs up Drew Brees.

The thing is Bridgewater will be a free agent next year. That leaves the Saints with two options. They either find a way to extend him, which will be difficult unless they part ways with Brees, or they franchise tag him. Not exactly an easy situation. Bridgewater may not have started for three years but he’s shown that he has plenty of gas left in the tank after a strong performance in the preseason back in August.

He’ll be 26-years old with the full knowledge that the market will be razor thin with guys like Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyrod Taylor, and Brock Osweiler to compete with him. Teams will be scrambling to sign him, and that will drive up his value immensely. If there is another Cousins to be had next spring, it’s definitely him.

Home/NFL Hot Takes