Assessing what a Kirk Cousins contract would look like if the Raiders were to sign him in 2024 offseason
It's about time the Las Vegas Raiders got their quarterback situation right this offseason. I think it's safe to say most knew they were setting themselves up for failure last offseason when they signed former New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer. It ended up being Aidan O'Connell, the fourth-round rookie quarterback, who […]
It's about time the Las Vegas Raiders got their quarterback situation right this offseason. I think it's safe to say most knew they were setting themselves up for failure last offseason when they signed former New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer. It ended up being Aidan O'Connell, the fourth-round rookie quarterback, who had the job by the season's end.
Luckily for the Raiders, they have a few different ways they can address that issue this offseason. With Jimmy Garoppolo being suspended for two games and then released by the Raiders, they are getting saved some money. The suspension should void his $11.25 million salary guarantee for 2024. Now they will have a bit more cap to play with.
Most fans would rather this franchise go through the draft to find their quarterback. However, the way this franchise has operated in the past and the position they are drafting at in the first round tells us there is a big chance they will not be a part of this deep QB draft. So, we have to be prepared for the Raiders to attack the free agency period before the draft with the mindset that they would love to get a new QB.
Kirk Cousins is the best quarterback and likely the best player in this upcoming free-agency class. According to A to Z Sports' Top 105 Free Agency Rankings, Cousins finds himself at No. 1 among all players. Now, a lot of Raiders fans won't want Cousins, and that's understandable; however, he would be the best and most talented Raiders quarterback since Rich Gannon.
Here is what the A to Z Sports' Projections say about Cousins this free agency period:
Cousins has long eschewed long-term deals, instead favoring shorter pacts that allow him to maximize his APY as well as his guarantees. Coming off of a torn Achilles, whichever team ends up signing him will likely want to do the same. The $40 million APY represents the same mark that Matt Stafford recently signed up for with the LA Rams prior to the 2022 season. Without the Super Bowl ring that Stafford sported headed into his negotiations, it will be unlikely that Cousins will be able to get more than Stafford did despite the salary cap being $34 million higher. This deal represents a $5 million bump in APY for Cousins over his 2023 contract extension with the Vikings but keeps his APY as a percent of the salary cap in the year signed in line at 16.5%.
According to the rankings and projections of A to Z Sports, Cousins' projected contract would look something like this: Two years, $80 million, $40 million APY, $55 million fully guaranteed. His likely year-one cap hit would likely be $28 million. The Raiders can certainly afford that.
In the 2024 offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders will have the 11th-best cap space of all teams, with nearly $44 million available, which is enough to sign Cousins. However, if they were to go that route, they would not have much money to work with to help improve other areas of their roster. They still need to add depth in areas and some other things here and there.
So, I wouldn't recommend the move, and most of Raider Nation doesn't want that move either because Cousins doesn't really fit the culture that Antonio Pierce is building. That's not to say he couldn't be a great addition; I just do not see it happening for both sides.
A possible QB option for the Raiders holds some familiarity
Taylor Heinicke isn't a quarterback that will sell jerseys and bring title expectations. But he is a quarterback that the Las Vegas Raiders can use. And as a free agent with ties to the organization, signing Heinicke is also something that makes sense following the Raiders' release of long-time starter Derek Carr. In nine games […]
