NFL Free Agency: Predicting the Quarterback Carousel
By Jon Dove
Cleveland Browns land Kirk Cousins
The Browns are projected by spotrac to have around $111 million in cap space this offseason. This is more than enough to ink Cousins to a long-term deal. In fact, Cousins might find that the Browns are in the best position to meet his salary demands.
Adding Cousins would create a few fun scenarios for the Browns. It would allow them to get creative with their stash of draft picks. They could even consider trading the No. 1 overall pick to a team looking to add a young signal caller.
The best outcome of signing Cousins could be the Browns adding two elite talents at picks No. 1 and No. 4 in the 2018 NFL Draft. That would represent two starters at positions that are likely to be seen as major needs for the team.
Related Story: 2018 NFL Mock Draft
An example would be drafting a combination of Saquon Barkley and Minkah Fitzpatrick. This would give the Browns a dynamic offensive weapon and a playmaker in the secondary. The team as a whole would be immediately better with Cousins, Barkley and Fitzpatrick in the mix.
Cleveland already has a young developmental quarterback on the roster in DeShone Kizer. They could hand the starting job to Cousins while still developing Kizer as a potential replacement. At worst, Kizer could be seen as a trade chip down the road.