If Kirk Cousins decides to make money his top priority in choosing which team to sign with in free agency, the New York Jets feel they are at an advantage.
Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reported on Monday that the Jets believe they are in a position to offer Cousins more money than any other team, and they are willing to offer him a front-loaded deal. It is unclear if New York is willing to offer Cousins the fully guaranteed contract he is reportedly seeking, but they are prepared to “pay a very high price.”
That high price would almost certainly have to be nearly $30 million per season with around $90 million guaranteed. The question is whether Cousins will demand a three-year, $90 million deal that is fully guaranteed rather than signing a five-year contract like Jimmy Garoppolo and Sam Bradford did. If Cousins signed a three-year deal, he could cash in again in free agency in 2020. He also would have leverage over a team like the Jets to make sure they were committed to building a contender around him.
A previous report indicated that at least two teams are willing to offer Cousins a fully guaranteed contract, and you would have to think the Jets are one of them. The Denver Broncos have seemingly already found their starting quarterback in Case Keenum, and the Minnesota Vikings can sell Cousins on a winning culture much more effectively than the Jets can.
