With free agency getting cranked up this week, let’s take
a look each skill position and highlight some of the biggest names
available. I’ll match each player with a team that I think
would be a best-case scenario for his fantasy value in 2018. I previously
discussed the Tight Ends,
Wide Receivers and Running
Backs. Last but not least, the QBs...
Kirk Cousins has many suitors and will
likely be overpaid once free agency begins on March 14th.
When Cousins has it going, he feasts on opposing secondaries and
carries a confidence and skill set comparable to quarterbacks
like Tony Romo, Drew Brees and peak Matt Hasselbeck (2003-07).
He’s hitting his stride as he approaches his age-30 season
and is a highly sought-after free agent piece that could make
or break the next couple of seasons for a franchise. He didn’t
appear to be a franchise QB a few years ago, but he’s made
giant strides in the interim. Stats and ranks from his age 27,
28 and 29 seasons, respectively:
4,093 pasing yards (7th), 27 TD (8th), 13 INT, 7.6 Y/A (10th) and a 64.3 Cmp% (9th)
At the end of 2017, it looked like his team was prepared to pay
him off to stay in Washington, but acquired Alex Smith in anticipation
of a possible exodus.
Best Fit: Vikings
Even after the playoffs wrapped up, most pundits assumed the
Vikings would be looking at one of their three current quarterbacks
(Case
Keenum, Sam
Bradford or Teddy
Bridgewater) to lead them into the future, but the Vikings
could very well offer Cousins a few seasons on a guaranteed deal,
and he may very well scoop it up. He’s said he wants to win, and
the Vikings offer him the best opportunity to do that and secure
his legacy. The Broncos come in a close second from that perspective,
with a bevy of talented receivers and a solid defense already
in place.
Other possibilities: Broncos, Bills, Cardinals, Jets
Let’s just go through this formality, especially since other
possible outcomes have been bandied about. The Saints are such
a prohibitive favorite to land a career-closing deal with Brees
(whose contract voids in the coming days), that I’m listing
him second. Statistically, he’s a future Hal-of-Famer with
very little to prove, and he’s said he wants to stay in
New Orleans.
Best Fit: Saints
Sean Payton said in January that Brees is coming back, but they
still must sign him. They have about $32 million of cap space,
so it’s possible they could re-sign Jimmy Graham and then
make an even better pitch to Brees, who despite his allegiance
to the Crescent City, does have other potential suitors willing
to throw him gobs of money to make them a contender. But let’s
not overanalyze this. The best fit is clearly with his current
team, and its potent offense with a bevy of versatile weapons.
Other possibilities: Jets, Broncos, Cardinals, Vikings
What a year for Keenum. He took over a good Vikings team after
Sam Bradford went down, amassed 3547-22-7 in 15 games and led
his team to the NFC Championship, and now looks to be headed toward
free agency because Mike Zimmer isn’t convinced he’s
any good. The truth is that Keenum may just be comparable to Cousins
– finally figuring things out at 30 years old and entering
his prime after years of playing second fiddle.
Best Fit: Bills
The best thing for Keenum might be to sign a deal as Eli Manning’s
backup, following Pat Shurmur to the Giants and proving he’s
the best man for the job after the 37-year-old Manning eventually
struggles behind a pitiful offensive line. Keenum is more mobile
and has a similar floor to Manning – with more upside at
this stage of his career. But for Keenum, who’s been with
four teams over the past four seasons, the best fit would be in
Buffalo – a team that just excised Tyrod Taylor and are
in the market for a difference-making QB. Keenum’s price
tag won’t be nearly as high as that of Cousins, who could
get a massive deal from the Vikings, and he’s still a smart
and efficient passer who could provide a steady presence even
if the Bills draft a rookie QB to usher along.
This guy will not go away. He’s a much riskier signing than
the aforementioned quarterbacks because of his injury history
and possibility of a degenerative knee condition (emerging troll
Mike Zimmer recently called it just that), but there are plenty
of teams that will give him a deal. Since the start of 2014, Bradford
has better than a 2-1 QB/INT ratio (56 TDS, 23 INTs in 38 starts)
and he makes plenty of sense as a short-term starter until his
legs eventually give out.
Best Fit: Cardinals
This makes sense, doesn’t it? The Cards are unlikely to
land a top QB, but could easily draft a guy to assume the reins
down the road, and they have already proven willing to go with
an aging player at the position with a checkered injury history.
Carson Palmer is retiring, and Bradford is 30 years old with the
experience and ability necessary to vastly improve the Cardinals’
2018 outlook. Assuming he can pass a physical and sign a contract,
Bradford could be destined for the desert.
Other possibilities: Bills, Jets, Broncos
This is crazy, right? Welcome to the NFL, where retreads are still
all the rage and beleaguered 34-year-old QBs can retire at 32
in 2016, hit the broadcast booth and then inject himself back
in the free agent pool after a mediocre 2017 season! Cutler showed
NFL teams enough ability and emotion last season to easily land
a backup deal in 2018 – but he’s said he wants a starting gig
and isn’t being welcomed back to Miami.
Best Fit: Retirement
Yeah, this is probably the most likely scenario, because the biggest
contract Cutler is likely to be offered for steady work is coming
from Fox Sports. Cutler’s had an interesting if not heroic run
as an NFL QB, and he proved in 2017 that his heart was still in
it. But unless a team emerges at the last minute with interest
in his talents (he beat Tom
Brady one week last season) and a promise of starting under
center, he’s moving back to domestic bliss and Sundays in the
booth.
