The bar for quarterback play is so low in Cleveland that another team’s benched disaster may be the best option for the Browns.
Kirk Cousins will be on the team’s radar as compeтιтion for embattled starter Deshaun Watson, should the Falcons move on from him this offseason, a team source told ESPN.
The source said the team is expected to look into “any veteran with starter’s talent” and said the “working theory” in NFL circles is the team attempts to hold a compeтιтion for the starting job next season
The Browns are paying the price for their decision to fully guarantee Watson’s $230 million contract since the 29-year-old is no longer an elite quarterback and, one could argue, barely a starter.
While teams like the Giants moved on from Daniel Jones and even the Falcons benched Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr., Cleveland is in a tougher spot since they have to pay Watson every cent of his mᴀssive guaranteed salary.
To pay another quarterback — even backups like Tyrod Taylor make decent money — would kill their cap even further.
The Browns could owe $92 million in cash and receive $119 million in ᴅᴇᴀᴅ salary cap if they cut Watson after June 1 and $173 million in cap space if before then, per ESPN.
However, they can look to follow what Pittsburgh did this offseason with Russell Wilson in terms of offering a potential starting job to a quarterback being paid by another team (Denver, in Wilson’s case).
And that’s where Cousins enters.
The Falcons gave the 36-year-old a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed this past offseason, and he made it through just 15 games before being sent to the bench.
With Atlanta taking Penix Jr. in the first round and turning to him late in the season, the writing is on the wall that Cousins’ time is up.
The Falcons could cut Cousins this offseason, which would then make him all the more attractive since the Browns could sign him for the veteran’s minimum.
“Holding on just because of the money will only prolong the inevitable,” an NFL national scout told ESPN. “You saw what Denver did, and they are doing OK. The Browns would just have to do that on a bigger scale.”
It’s possible the Browns could choose a quarterback in the draft since Cleveland holds the No. 3 pick entering Week 18.
But there are questions about this quarterback class and the Browns could use help all over the roster. The Browns could also, in theory, have Cousins and Watson guide a touted prospect.
The one drawback to this scenario is that Cousins may not be good anymore.
Cousins threw 18 touchdowns to 16 interceptions this season but struggled before his benching in his first season back after tearing his Achilles.
However, those numbers seem Pro Bowl caliber compared to Watson’s five touchdowns and three interceptions before he suffered his own Achilles tear in Week 7.
Cousins has also worked with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota, and perhaps the Browns’ coach is better suited to help him return to form than the Atlanta coaches.
