Since he’s been willing to be patient so far, Kirk Cousins is going to take his time through his free agency process.
But he has apparently pared the list of teams he’ll consider.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the final four teams expected to be in the running for his services are the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings.
Each have their own pluses and minuses. The Broncos and Vikings can offer immediate competitiveness thanks to good defenses. The Cardinals offer the opportunity to play with a future Hall of Famer in Larry Fitzgerald and warm weather. The Jets have the major market appeal, along with the most cap space of the group and, well, desperation.
Absent from that list despite their obvious need at the position is Cleveland, despite the best lobbying efforts of left tackle Joe Thomas.
Schefter also reports that the teams involved are considering short-term deals, perhaps as short as three years, with big guarantees. Considering Cousins has played the last two years on the tag for Washington, he has a flexibility not every free agent enjoys.
And the dynamics of the pursuit of Cousins will have impacts far beyond his own future, as quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Matt Ryan are working on new deals, and the fallback plans such as Case Keenum and others hinge to some degree on the choice Cousins make and the numbers involved.