There is always going to be a stupid team with a desperate GM that overspends in free agency. It used to be us with Deion Sanders and Albert Haynesworth.
Yes, Cousins is going to get a market-breaking deal that will last as long as it takes for Aaron Rodger and Drew Brees to get new contracts.
But will that team be a contender for more than one season (if it already is one?)
A team like Denver or Jacksonville can make a plausible argument that settling on the right quarterback will have them in the Super Bowl in 2018.
So, for them the gamble may very well be worth the risk.
But for teams like the NY Jets and Cleveland they are years away from being a contender with or without an upgrade at quarterback.
What they do is something NOT to be copied by others (as it usually is with these guys).
I agree with Feinstein that Cousins would likely have turned down a $137M offer from the Redskins just to get out of town.
After the Redskins refused to give Cousins a max type deal the first year he was under the franchise tag, Kirk has had one step out the door.
The departure of Sean McVay and the descent of the Redskins to 7-9 and now in a division with the 13-3 Super Bowl Champion Eagles and the 9-7 Cowboys who seem to beat the Redskins on a regular basis with Prescott and Elliott, only clinched it.
Meanwhile Denver has only to pass the 10-6 Chiefs who as division champs return with a first year starter at qb in Mahomes.
The Jaguars are in a division they were able to win with Blake Bortles at quarterback. That should tell you what you need to know there.
Those teams plus the Vikings if things clear up there are the best places for a FA quarterback to go to.
The biggest thing with those 3 teams is that they are built on running the ball and defense. With how deep this 1st round is with QBs, as well as the names in free agency, I could see all 3 of those teams taking a long hard look at the team and thinking that paying a QB nearly $30 mil a year is not an option. Minnesota and Jax were a game away from the SB and both had a 'journeyman' QB. Bortles will cost Jax $15mil this year if they pick up his option, they're also likely losing one of their top 2 WR, so they'll need money there. Minnesota doesn't have a single QB under contract right now, so they'll likely be drafting one this year ANYWAY, regardless of who they sign. Keenum, is likely going to be a lot less expensive that Kirk, and they will be getting their top RB back.. Denver is the one that stands to make the biggest jump, but if Keenum gets locked up early in FA, Jax picks up Bortles option, and Denver commits that no. 5 overall pick to a QB that's going to cost 10% of what Kirk will... it's possible that the only teams to be bidding for his services could be Cleveland and NYJ, which both have the cap $$ to go far in negotiations, but leave a lot to be desired regarding competition.