Talk about the New York Jets going all in for impending free agent Kirk Cousins have ramped up in recent days. In fact, one report this past weekend suggested that New York could offer Cousins a fully guaranteed multi-year contract. That would change the entire dynamic of NFL free agency as we know it.
With what could be nearly $100 million in cap room following some roster moves, New York surely has the financial means to sign Cousins as its franchise quarterback.
Now comes this report from Brian Costello of the New York Post suggesting that the Jets could offer Cousins a front loaded contract worth $60 million in 2018.
“One league source speculated the Jets could front-load the contract and offer Cousins $60 million guaranteed in the first year of the contract,” Costello reported. “That would still leave them with about $30 million in cap space this year and then allow them to build around Cousins with lower cap figures in the remaining years of the contract.”
This could be similar to the contract San Francisco gave Jimmy Garoppolo. The idea would be for New York to use its excess of cap room this season in order to avoid high cap hits in following years. It makes perfect sense. It would also pretty much limit the number of teams that might be able to sign Cousins.
From Cousins’ perspective, a deal of this ilk would mean that he would earn an NFL-record $103 million over a three-year span. That’s some crazy stuff right there.