The Indianapolis Colts finally announce that the Eagles’ top player has agreed to sign a…
Among the quarterbacks whose contracts officially expire with the opening of the new league year (March 13 at 4 p.m. ET) are Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield. Both deserve new contracts, but it’s rarely that easy, as we’ve seen. Furthermore, the circumstances surrounding the players that fill reserve roles are much less certain.
The backup quarterback frequently rises to become the second-most valuable player on a club, behind only the starter, as many teams discovered in 2023.
Keeping that in mind, let’s examine the prospects for a few of the most prominent passers who are set to enter free agency. They are mentioned below, along with the clubs that have used their services this season.
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Allow them to stay in the town.
Cousin Kirk
Cousin Kirk
Age: 35 Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings saw firsthand in 2023 what a life without Cousins may entail when the player suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.
After going through three different backups, the team was left without a reliable option. When you combine that lesson with the fact that Kirk Cousins’ play was maybe the only positive outcome from the Vikings’ first eight games in 2023, it’s clear how Minnesota should move forward.
Re-sign Cousins for a one- or two-year contract to lock down a quarterback who was having one of his best seasons before getting hurt, and begin making serious plans for life after Cousins so you’re not left holding the bag a year or two from now.
Mayfield Baker
Mayfield Baker
Age: 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What was the least unexpected revelation from the Divisional Round weekend? It is true that Mayfield and the Bucs are interested in reviving this partnership, as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport first revealed in December.
It is clear why both parties desire to remain together. The Bucs, an afterthought of a Tampa franchise, demonstrated they were definitely deserving of attention with a thrashing of the reigning NFC champion Eagles on Super Wild Card Weekend. Mayfield just had the best season of his career.
After a difficult 2022, Mayfield seems to have grown up and shown he is ready and totally capable of leading the Bucs into their post-Tom Brady era. Actually, it seems like the Brady era ended a long time ago. Bucs fans, Baker should be your guy going forward, and if general manager Jason Licht can close a deal, he probably will be.
