Should the New York Jets Build Around Kirk Cousins?

The position of New York Jets starting quarterback has been a wild ride over the last ten years, going everywhere from Brett Favre to Mark Sanchez, and most recently Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown. They have Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg on the roster, but neither has impressed the organization enough to earn a legitimate starting situation.

After a promising 3-2 start, the Jets finished last in the AFC East at 5-11 last season. But even with this abysmal record, there were many games the Jets were in until the very end. Towards the middle of the season, New York gained an unfortunate habit of building up a first-half lead and blowing in by the fourth quarter, such as they did against the New England Patriots.

The point being, while the roster still needs talent upgrades all around, they still aren't far off, and a consistent, Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback could easily have flipped that 5-11 record into a 9-7 team right in the Wildcard race.

But is Kirk Cousins capable of being that quarterback?

It became apparent Cousins time in Washington was ending when the Redskins traded with the Kansas City Chiefs to bring Alex Smith to the NFC East. With Cousins likely to demand a handsome salary on the open market, the Jets are reportedly willing to pay top dollar to make sure Cousins dons green next season.

(UPDATE: The Jets are exploring a possibility of paying Cousins $60 million in his first year)

Essentially, the Jets can go in three directions:

1. Re-sign Josh McCown, shore up the rest of the roster, maybe see more Petty/Hackenberg
2. Draft a quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft (Baker Mayfield?)
3. Sign a free agent quarterback, the best available being Kirk Cousins

Option 1 would all but guarantee more of the same for the Jets faithful. They would be competitive in many games but ultimately end with 5-7 wins, on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

Option 2 is the biggest wildcard, as a young quarterback could change the direction of the franchise or be another bust. The Jets may miss out on the top two or three quarterbacks in this year's draft unless they trade up to secure one of the more NFL-ready talents.

Then there's Option 3, the reason we're here today. Would signing Kirk Cousins allow the Jets to leap from the AFC East basement into the playoff picture?

Courtesy of Broncos Wire / USA Today

First and foremost: is Cousins even an immediate upgrade? Comparing him to the Jets 2017 starter, Josh McCown:

• Cousins: 64.3% completion, 255.8 yards/game, 1.7 Pass TD/game, 0.8 INT/game
• McCown: 67.3% completion, 225.0 yards/game, 1.4 Pass TD/game, 0.7 INT/game

So yes, Cousins generally produces offense at a greater rate, while McCown was efficient in a shorter, less explosive passing game, resulting in less yards and touchdowns. McCown was an effective game manager, but when the Jets needed crucial late-game offense, it was hard to depend on him for the necessary points.

Cousins has a bigger arm, more big play ability, and of course, the swagger to be a leader in the locker room and on the field. 

While McCown posted his best passer rating since 2013 last season (94.5, slightly higher than Cousins' 93.9), he would still be a mere stopgap if re-signed by the Jets. He'll be 39 when the 2018 NFL season starts, nearing the end of his journeyman career.

Cousins, on the other hand, is in his prime and would provide the Jets some consistency for years to come. In each of the last three years, Cousins has completed 64% or more of his passes, surpassed 4,000 yards and 25 TD each year, and threw no more than 13 interceptions.

These aren't Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers numbers, but consistency at quarterback is one of the most important indicators of long-term success in the NFL. Cousins will turn 30 during the preseason, and should have years of productive football left ahead of him.

To sign or not to sign?

With all these things considered, should the Jets sign Kirk Cousins and build their future around him?

Cousins will probably go for $25-27 million per year, in a market set by Jimmy Garopollo and Matthew Stafford. Garopollo's $27.5 million annual value with the San Francisco 49ers broke the NFL record for richest contract, even with less than 10 career starts under his belt. With three consecutive solid seasons, could Cousins command even more?

By going with Cousins, the Jets will sacrifice the financial flexibility to shore up their roster in other spots. Or they could improve their talent in the field with a cheaper option like McCown or Petty. It's a trade off that could realistically work out either way.

If I had to pick, I would go after Cousins as general manager Mike Maccagan. It might not lead to an instant turnaround, but centering the team around him could result in a much better team by 2019 or 2020. Cousins would dominate a lot of the cap space, but by building though the draft and improving season over season, having one mainstay instead of a revolving door at quarterback will help the Jets in the long run.

Signing Cousins would also allow the Jets to allocate their valuable top draft pick to another position, or even trade it to acquire more picks, acquiring more players to shore up the roster.

The Jets have many options at quarterback, but they may result in more of the same. By signing Cousins to a long-term deal, the Jets will have a clear vision and goal for the first time in years.

by Billy Sakmann
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Header photo courtesy of NY Daily News