The Jets apparently want Kirk Cousins. They apparently want him badly enough that they’re willing to break the bank for him.
According to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, the Jets are “willing to pay whatever it takes” to get him.
This report comes amid a belief that the Jets may be willing to fully guarantee Cousins’ deal. The notion of paying “whatever it takes” becomes far more open-ended than that, especially since there’s no way of knowing what it will take until knowing what another team will pay.
If there’s at least one other team willing to make a similar commitment, the end result could be an auction that drives the market well north of $30 million per year. Assuming, of course, that Cousins would want to actually play for one of the teams willing to break the bank.
During a Super Bowl-week visit to PFT Live, Cousins seemed to suggest that he’s willing to take less to win, while also acknowledging that plenty of winning teams have expensive quarterbacks. Last year, he seemed to suggest that his goal is to make as much as possible.
“[T]here’s other quarterbacks that come after you and it would be almost a selfish move to hurt future quarterbacks who get in a position to have a contract,” Cousins said in January 2017. “And if you don’t take a deal that’s fair to you, then you’re also taking a deal that’s not fair to them and you’re setting them back as well. So there’s different reasons. You just do the best you can.”
Cousins will be doing better than the best any quarterback has ever done, whether it’s with the Jets or another team. Barring a third straight franchise tag from his current team (which remains unlikely, and likely would be scrapped via a grievance), Cousins will become the first healthy franchise quarterback on the right side of 30 to become a free agent in nearly a quarter-century of free agency. Given the $44 million he has made over the last two years, his next deal could push his career earnings toward a quarter-billion.
Originally Posted by patteeu:
Side observation: The franchise tag serves to help spread the money around by partially blocking high end players from free agency, but the players seem to hate it even though most of them benefit.
Originally Posted by Dave Lane:
Not if they get hurt or have a bad year.
I think you missed my point. The players who benefit are those who aren't good enough to earn the tag (because there's more money left for them). There are far more of them than of the elite tagged players. [Reply]
Originally Posted by patteeu:
I think you missed my point. The players who benefit are those who aren't good enough to earn the tag (because there's more money left for them). There are far more of them than of the elite tagged players.
It serves QBs well, because they play at a high level until age 35.
Doesn’t work as well for positions that peak early (e.g., RBs like Le’Veon Bell). Extends team control until they’re on the downslope. [Reply]
The New York Post's Brian Costello was told the Jets could offer Kirk Cousins $60 million in the first year of his contract.
New York is reportedly "willing to pay whatever it takes" to land Cousins, so this does not come as a surprise. It also makes some sense for the Jets, who have the cap space to both front-load the contract and make moves to improve the rest of the roster. The Broncos, Vikings, and Cardinals are also teams to watch in the Cousins sweepstakes.
Will be interesting to see what he does... he has a few good options. There's no doubt that he'll be more than handsomely compensated. Question will be, how much does he want to saddle the team up with on his cap number. This is where the cap bean counters get paid to work their magic. Teams won't pay it if they can't afford it, the question becomes what does it limit them from doing elswhere.
Von Miller is recruiting him hard - wonder if he'll take a restructure to make it happen? I don't see Cousins going to NY really, honestly think the Vikings and the dome will be pretty appealing to him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by patteeu:
Side observation: The franchise tag serves to help spread the money around by partially blocking high end players from free agency, but the players seem to hate it even though most of them benefit.
The Franchise Tag is largely just a short term tool. The value of each position will still adjust back to the market rate. QBs contracts are skyrocketing and taking a bigger % of the salary cap.
I believe next year Kirk Cousin will be the first QB to get 30m per for roughly 18% of next year's salary cap. That really cuts into the contract dollars available for the other 52 players. [Reply]
If you're a team who has a TON of cap room this season, why not give him $60-$70M in 1st year comp, tie it to this years cap and then you'd have pretty low cap numbers the rest of the way out.
Maybe you could get the guy a huge number this year and something closer to 10M than to 25M for the remainder...? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bewbies:
If you're a team who has a TON of cap room this season, why not give him $60-$70M in 1st year comp, tie it to this years cap and then you'd have pretty low cap numbers the rest of the way out.
Maybe you could get the guy a huge number this year and something closer to 10M than to 25M for the remainder...?
Well, because then he could just retire after year 1 and you're a dumbass. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hoover:
This is awesome! Really screws a team like thw Broncos!
And hopefully forces them to pay out the ass to trade up to #1 to grab Baker Maysuck.
And Baker promptly shits himself, the team, and the community by being a complete dickweed. Forcing the Donks to to dump him (ala Tebow) and fire horseface.