NEW YORK (WFAN) -- The competition for Kirk Cousins is lining up.
On Monday, Bleacher Report said Cousins is deciding between the Jets and Minnesota Vikings. But in response to that report, Mike Klis of KUSA-TV in Denver took to Twitter to post that the "Broncos are very much in on Cousins, per team and player sources."
As I tried to explain to @nfldraftscout yesterday, Broncos are very much in on Cousins, per team and player sources. It's WAY too early for this. No team has had any visits or talked money. #9sports https://t.co/fsVbVepHEn
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) March 5, 2018On Saturday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Arizona Cardinals are also expected to be among the teams vying for the 29-year-old QB.
The final four teams expected to be vying for free-agent quarterback Kirk Cousins are the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets and Vikings, per league sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 3, 2018The legal tampering period begins March 12, and teams may begin signing free agents March 14.
Nearly $95 million under the salary cap, the Jets are in the best financial position to pursue Cousins. But in an interview days before the Super Bowl, Cousins, who could command as much as $30 million a year, told WFAN that he's more concerned about signing with a team built to win than fetching top dollar.
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The Jets, who are reportedly prepared to offer Cousins a megacontract, are coming off back-to-back 5-11 seasons.
Gang Green seems to be especially concerned about the possibility that the Vikings could steal Cousins, a source told SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. Minnesota went 13-3 and reached the NFC championship game with third-string QB Case Keenum under center and had the NFL's top-ranked defense. In other words, Cousins could be the piece they're missing to go all the way.
Minnesota is nearly $51 million under the salary cap.
The Broncos have not reached the playoffs in the two years since Peyton Manning retired, but Cousins could be impressed by Denver's defense, which ranked third in the league last season, and receiving corps, which includes Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. The Broncos are nearly $27 million under the cap.
Arizona went 8-8 last season but had the sixth-ranked defense and has one of the league's top young running backs, David Johnson, returning. The Cardinals have about $23 million to spend.
Cousins was the Redskins' full-time starting QB the last three seasons, passing for at least 4,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in each of those years. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2016.
If the Jets miss out Cousins, they are considering chasing Teddy Bridgewater as their Plan B, SNY reported.
