Three of the biggest names in the quarterback market were taken off the board in the first 24 hours of free agency, with Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson assessing their market and took their chance.
Everyone has different priorities at a unique stage in their career. The veteran trio also helped shape the quarterback market for the remainder of the offseason as they quickly secured their next contracts.
Mayfield set off a chain reaction Sunday afternoon when he agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Sunday night, Wilson agreed to a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers for a league-minimum salary of $1.2 million. Cousins capped it off Monday afternoon by signing a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons.
While the moves and financial parameters are unique, they are also linked when combined, according to at least six sources with direct knowledge of the situation.
Mayfield is having the best season of his career as a first-round pick with the Buccaneers, and the 28-year-old hopes to stay in Tampa after wandering around the league for a few years. League sources said continuity has been his for quite some time after playing for four teams in his first six seasons, with eight head coaches and seven offensive coordinators in that span. Target.
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Mayfield appreciates the way the Buccaneers helped him succeed last season, not only with the help of former offensive coordinator Dave Canales, but also with the leadership of coach Todd Bowles and the veteran culture surrounding the building . While Canales is headed to Carolina, Mayfield has some familiarity with new offensive coordinator Liam Cohen, who spent 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Buccaneers and Mayfield accelerated talks last week and stepped up over the weekend with a series of offers and counteroffers. For Mayfield and the desire for continuity, guaranteed money in the second year of the deal is especially important from a job security perspective.
He is fully guaranteed $40 million, including $30 million in 2024 and $10 million in 2025, plus $10 million in injury compensation. So, as long as he plays well, Mayfield should be back with the Buccaneers in 2025. But if the Buccaneers decide to split after the 2024 season, he will make $40 million.
Last month, league executives believed Mayfield might view New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract as a similar deal. Perhaps, if Mayfield wants to delay his free agency until Monday when the NFL negotiating window opens, he might be able to find a deal with a higher total amount.
But it’s not as simple as it sounds. Over the weekend, people around the league believed Cousins would decide between the Falcons and Minnesota Vikings, leaving the losing team and the Buccaneers alone in the race for Mayfield. But the hypothetical risk of this strategy could involve the Vikings making a lower offer and the Buccaneers withdrawing their best proposal. While favorability for Mayfield is high within the New England Patriots, an alliance between the two sides doesn’t make sense – again, Mayfield has two potential suitors with enough cap space to make a good offer, And have people to challenge the zoning title.
Ultimately, Mayfield wants to return to the Buccaneers. He received a job offer that guaranteed him at least two years, which he accepted.
best chance to start
Wilson’s situation is very different than Mayfield’s. The Denver Broncos will officially release him Wednesday when the new season begins, but they notified him of the decision last week and allowed him to visit with the team in the meantime.
Then, there are economic uncertainties. The Broncos are still responsible for Wilson’s $39 million salary in 2024, which is far more than he will make in free agency. So Wilson told the team he would play the minimum — with the Broncos covering the rest — so they could use their cap space elsewhere.
Wilson had two quality games against the Giants and Steelers. Both meetings were considered exploratory meetings to get a feel for their offensive vision and Wilson’s goals for the season.
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The Giants offered no guarantee of playing time, as Jones is expected to start once he heals from his torn ACL. As for the Steelers, who benched 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett last season, Wilson has a very realistic path to keeping the team in the postseason game combination and never finished below .500 in coach Mike Tomlin’s 17 seasons.
Wilson met Friday with Steelers decision-makers, including Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and general manager Omar Khan. With Tomlin and Smith, the offense should once again be more physical with a strong ground game and provide Wilson with ample opportunities to throw the deep ball, assuming he wins the job.
Wilson had a better season in 2023 before the Broncos benched him in December, in part to ensure injuries didn’t derail their offseason commitment to the quarterback. Decisions to change are more complicated. If the 35-year-old can maintain this trajectory, his chances of finding a more lucrative payday in 2025, whether in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, will increase.
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A two-team game with Cousins?
Although Cousins suffered a torn Achilles tendon, he remained a central figure in the quarterback rotation, and he did choose Atlanta and Minnesota, where he played from 2018-23. If any of those options are shelved and the financial offer drops significantly, the Broncos could become involved, a league source said.
But reduced offers aren’t a problem as the Falcons and Vikings are both trying to land Cousins, who will have $90 million guaranteed in the first two years of his contract. Cousins has previously crossed paths with new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris in Washington, and the quarterback should quickly learn from offensive coordinator Zach Robinson, whose principles mirror those of the Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell’s principles were similar during his time with the Rams.
It’s an eventful first day of NFL free agency!
Which team made the best move? pic.twitter.com/s9LP5GjdCI
— The Athlete (@TheAthletic) March 12, 2024
The Falcons have also been fielding better rosters in recent years, and Cousins’ arrival should help them compete for the NFC South title and playoff spot. They have a strong running game, an improving offensive line and intriguing pass catchers in Derek London and Kyle Pitts.
It’s a perfect recipe for Cousins, who will be 36 when next season begins.
The Vikings tried to retain Cousins, but they also knew it was important to prepare for the future at the position and couldn’t make the same financial commitment. So when the Falcons made the offer, it all worked in Cousins’ favor given the attractiveness of the roster and coaching staff.
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Remaining QB Market
There are some removable parts left. The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots hold the top three picks in the upcoming NFL draft, and indications are that each team will draft a quarterback, USC’s Calais Boo Williams, North Carolina’s Derek Meyer and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are expected candidates.
Basically only the Vikings, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders have vacancies. The Raiders agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract with Gardner Minshew that could be worth as much as $25 million, and he will compete with Aidan O’Connell. The Broncos still have Jarrett Stidham and the Vikings appear to be starting over.
With Jacoby Brissett rejoining the Patriots, Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill are the bright spots in free agency. The Raiders releasing Jimmy Garoppolo remains inevitable, while the Bears should still consider trading Justin Fields. The GMs could conceivably move Sam Howell, while the Jets are expected to move on from Zach Wilson in some capacity.
Now that the trades for Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Cousins are complete, there’s one final intriguing element. The last three teams in need of quarterback reinforcements — the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders — have picks No. 11-13 in the draft. They could once again compete with Michigan State’s JJ McCarthy, and maybe even Oregon State’s Bo Nix and Washington State’s Michael Penix.
The veteran trio set the stage for more fireworks up front at quarterback over the next two months.
(Photos of Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins and Russell Wilson:
Todd Rosenberg, Stephen Matron and Cooper Neal/Getty Images)
