The Arizona Cardinals need a quarterback and Kirk Cousins needs a new home. Could Cousins be the newest quarterback in the NFC West?
It’s not often a franchise-caliber quarterback like Kirk Cousins hits the open market, so it’s a safe bet to assume Arizona will try to bid for him considering quarterback Carson Palmer’s retirement.
In fact, Cardinals players like David Johnson and Patrick Petersonhave been openly lobbying Cousins to play football in the valley of the sun.
If Cousins were to join Arizona he would be squaring off against the Seahawks twice a year. Cousins has only faced the Seahawks twice as a starter, but in those limited appearances, he played fairly well. In 2014, Cousins threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-17 loss. Last season, Cousins completed 21 of 31 passes for 247 yards – with no touchdowns or interceptions – but he did lead the game-winning drive to beat the Seahawks in Seattle.
The Cardinals have found some recent success in Seattle as well. Arizona has beaten the Seahawks within the confines of CenturyLink Field three out of the last four years. Adding Cousins might prove to be a more significant challenge for the Seahawks when the Cardinals come to visit.
However, signing Cousins may just be wishful thinking at this point. It’s estimated that Cousins will be seeking a deal that pays around$25.6 million a year. This could be a problem since the Cardinals will have under $22.5 million in cap space available.
Arizona will also have to cover future Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s $11 million base salary next season, as Fitzgerald recently announced he plans to play in 2018.
Now that the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers have their franchise quarterbacks firmly in place, it’s Arizona’s move to remain a contender in the NFC West.
