Best QBs available with Kirk Cousins off the market

With Kirk Cousins signing a contract extension with the Minnesota Vikings, here are the best quarterbacks available this offseason.

This past week, quarterback news has garnered the attention of the sports world. From Aaron Rodgers returning to the Green Bay Packers to Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz getting traded to the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, respectively. When it comes to quarterbacks on the potential trading block, another name was taken off the list.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings and Kirk Cousins agreed to terms on a one-year, $35 million contract extension, which keeps him with the team through the 2023 season.

With Cousins now off the board for quarterback-needy teams, fans of said organizations are probably wondering who does the team target now? Here is a comprehensive list of quarterbacks available on the trading block and in free agency.

Best QBs available on trade block

• Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
• Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
• Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
• Gardner Minshew, Philadelphia Eagles

The top name available in both markets is Deshaun Watson. This past Friday, a Texas grand jury revealed that Watson would not be criminally charged for allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Even so, Watson is still facing 22 civil lawsuits and could potentially face punishment by the NFL. But, Watson is the top quarterback available, considering he has no desire to play for the Houston Texans any longer.

Jimmy Garoppolo is next up, as the 49ers telegraphed last season that they were prepared to move on from him after trading up to the No. 3 pick in last year’s NFL Draft to select Trey Lance. Garoppolo may not have put up huge numbers, but he was the quarterback during San Francisco’s two lengthy playoff runs in 2019 and 2021.

With Rodgers returning to the Packers for the foreseeable future, that makes the team’s selection of Jordan Love in 2020 a bit perplexing in hindsight. This is purely speculative, but it will be interesting to see if there is a team that could call the Packers to see what it would take to land Love, considering he is a first-round pick, after all.

Gardner Minshew is also a name to keep an eye on, as he won a start against the New York Jets this past season. The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly eying Minshew if they were unable to land either Cousins or a viable starter, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora.

Best QBs available in free agency

• Jameis Winston
• Marcus Mariota
• Mitchell Trubisky
• Teddy Bridgewater
• Ryan Fitzpatrick
• Andy Dalton
• Geno Smith
• Tyrod Taylor
• Jacoby Brissett
• Cam Newton
• Colin Kaepernick

The free agency market is not the most ideal for teams in need of a quarterback, but it is filled with former top draft picks.

Jameis Winston is the best of the bunch, as he was coming off a solid start with the New Orleans Saints for the first seven games of 2021 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He did not light up the stat sheet, so to speak, but he did limit his turnovers, something that haunted him during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Then there are former second-overall picks like Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky. Mariota never really got a chance to earn a starting job after joining the Las Vegas Raiders due to the play of Derek Carr, but he does have the athleticism that will interest teams. Trubisky did not pan out with the Chicago Bears, but he has been linked to a variety of teams and could cash in on a substantial deal this offseason.

So there you have it. Those are the best quarterback options available this offseason. With the free agency negotiation period beginning on Monday at noon, we will see which quarterbacks end up getting signed (or traded) elsewhere.