The next New York Jets quarterback will be a human being (we think). That’s pretty much all we know at this point. Therefore, the suggestions about the Jets’ potential quarterback avenues will be bandied about until further notice.
The next name to be thrown into the mix is none other than friend Kirk Cousins, for whom ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler discussed on Sunday’s “SportsCenter,” as transcribed by Bleacher Report’s Timothy Rapp.
First, Fowler got the party started from an Atlanta perspective:
“Cousins’ $27.5 million salary is guaranteed for this year, so he’s on Atlanta’s books,” Fowler said on Sunday’s edition of SportsCenter. “He’s the backup quarterback right now behind (Michael) Penix. Something there has to shake out. The NFL Scouting Combine is in about a week and a half. I expect Atlanta and Cousins’ agent to talk about the future and see what they can shake out.
Quickly, however, the entrance of the Jets took shape:
“You know, the New York Jets, once upon a time, wanted to sign Cousins,” Fowler reminded the audience. “He’s going to be one of the best options, recovered from his Achilles tear, and [has] a [$10 million] roster bonus due in March. So, that’s sort of an artificial deadline for him to find a new team that should shake out.”
Can Jets fans envision this as a possibility?
Remember, Jets fans don’t exactly love Cousins, thanks to his perceived usage of Mike Maccagnan‘s Jets during the 2018 offseason. It’s widely believed the then-free agent used the Jets to increase his market.
Of course, Maccagnan’s regime ultimately traded up to select USC quarterback Sam Darnold No. 3 overall in the 2018 NFL draft.
Vikings at Lions Week – 2018 – Down 9-0 with 55 seconds left in the half (Vikes had looked dreadful all game thus far), Kirk Cousins leads MIN to 28 unanswered points, but it is the Hail Mary at the end of the half that gives MIN the lead. pic.twitter.com/69h7XtVwPn
— VikeFans (@VikeFans) January 4, 2025
However, seven years make a world of difference.
Cousins, 36, is stuck with an organization that has decided to move forward with sophomore quarterback Michael Penix Jr. That makes the 4-year, $180 million ($90 million guaranteed) deal the Falcons signed Cousins to last offseason a bit of a chore to handle.
Of course, the Aaron Glenn-led Jets are now in search of a signal-caller. Having moved on from 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers on Super Bowl Sunday (via Jay Glazer‘s report), the seemingly infinite number of potential quarterback names continue to surface.
This past season, Cousins threw for 3,508 yards and 18 touchdowns to a league-leading 16 interceptions in 14 games (all started).
