Howe: A behind-the-scenes look at the Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield deals

The three biggest names in the quarterback market were taken off the board within 24 hours at the dawn of free agency, as Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson evaluated their markets and capitalized on their opportunities.

They all had different priorities at unique stages of their careers. And as they quickly secured their next contracts, the veteran trio also helped shape the QB market for the remainder of the offseason.

Mayfield started the chain reaction Sunday afternoon when he agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Wilson agreed to a one-year deal with the league minimum of $1.2 million on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cousins ​​capped it off Monday afternoon when he signed a four-year, $180 million pact with the Atlanta Falcons.

While the moves and financial parameters were unique, they were also somewhat connected when they came together, according to at least a half-dozen sources with direct knowledge of the situations.

Mayfield had the best season of his career in his first-round pick with the Bucs, and the 28-year-old wanted to stay in Tampa after bouncing around the league for a few years. He has had eight head coaches and seven offensive coordinators while playing for four teams in his first six seasons, so continuity has been a goal of his for some time, league sources say.

Mayfield appreciated the way the Bucs set him up for success last season, not only with former offensive coordinator Dave Canales, but also with coach Todd Bowles’ leadership and the culture of the veterans around the building. And while Canales left for Carolina, Mayfield is somewhat familiar with new offensive coordinator Liam Coen from their month together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.

The Bucs and Mayfield accelerated negotiations last week, and over the weekend they intensified with a series of offers and counter-offers. For Mayfield and that desire for continuity, the guaranteed money in the second year of the deal was especially important from a job security perspective.

He got $40 million fully guaranteed, with $30 million in 2024 and another $10 million in 2025, plus another $10 million for injuries. So as long as he plays well, Mayfield should be back with the Buccaneers in 2025. But if the Bucs decide to part ways after the 2024 season, he will have earned $40 million for his services.

Last month, league officials believed Mayfield could view New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract as a similar deal. And perhaps, if Mayfield had wanted to push his free agency in on Monday when the NFL negotiating window opened, he might have been able to find a deal with more total money.

But that’s not as easy as it sounds. Over the weekend, people around the league believed that Cousins ​​would choose between the Falcons and Minnesota Vikings, leaving the losing team and the Buccaneers alone in a competition for Mayfield. But the hypothetical risk of that strategy could have led to the Vikings offering a low number and the Buccaneers withdrawing their best offer. And while the New England Patriots were high on Mayfield internally, a union between the sides simply didn’t make sense — once again, Mayfield left behind two potential suitors with the right cap space to make a good offer and the personnel to challenge for a division title.

Ultimately, Mayfield wanted to return to the Bucs. He received an offer that should provide him with security for at least two years and he accepted it.

The best chance to start

Wilson’s situation was very different from Mayfield’s. The Denver Broncos will officially release him on Wednesday at the start of the new league year, but they informed him of that decision last week and allowed him to visit with teams in the meantime.

Then there was the wildcard with the economy. The Broncos are still dependent on Wilson’s $39 million salary in 2024, which is significantly more than he could have gotten in free agency. So Wilson informed the teams that he would play for the minimum — with the Broncos picking up the balance of the account — so they could use their cap space elsewhere.

Wilson had two quality meetings with the Giants and Steelers. Both were considered exploratory sessions and they got a sense of their vision for the offense and Wilson’s goals for the season.

The Giants made no guarantees about playing time, as Jones is expected to start once he is cleared of his torn ACL. As for the Steelers, who benched Kenny Pickett in the 2022 first-round pick last season, Wilson has a very realistic path to a starting job for a team that has consistently been in the playoff mix in coach Mike’s 17 seasons Tomlin never finished below .500.

Wilson met Friday with Steelers decision makers, including Tomlin, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and general manager Omar Khan. With Tomlin and Smith, the offense should again be physical with a strong ground game and provide plenty of opportunities for Wilson to throw the deep ball, assuming he wins the lane.

Wilson put together a better season in 2023 before the Broncos benched him in December, in part to ensure injury wouldn’t further complicate their offseason decision with the quarterback. If the 35-year-old can maintain that trajectory, he will increase his chances of a more lucrative payday in 2025, whether that be in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

A two-team race for Cousins?

Cousins, despite coming off a torn Achilles tendon, was the central figure in the quarterback carousel, and he had indeed established himself in Atlanta and Minnesota, where he played from 2018 to 2023. If any of those options fell by the wayside and financial offers plummeted, a league source said the Broncos likely would have become involved.

But dwindling offers haven’t been an issue as the Falcons and Vikings push hard for Cousins, who is guaranteed $90 million in the first two years of the deal. Cousins ​​had previously crossed paths in Washington with new Falcons coach Raheem Morris, and quarterback should be a quick study with offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, whose principles are similar to those of Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell from their days along with the Rams.

It’s been an eventful first day of NFL free agency!

Which team made the best move? pic.twitter.com/s9LP5GjdCI

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 12, 2024

The Falcons have also put together a better roster in recent years, and the arrival of Cousins ​​should help them compete for the NFC South title and a playoff spot. They have a strong running game, an improving offensive line and attractive pass catchers in Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

It was a perfect recipe for Cousins, who turns 36 early next season.

The Vikings tried to keep Cousins, but they also knew it was important to prepare for the future at the position and couldn’t make the same financial commitment. So when the Falcons upped their offer, given the appeal of the roster and coaching staff, it all came together for Cousins.

---

The remaining QB market

There are still some moving pieces left. The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders and Patriots have the first three picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and indications are that each team will take a quarterback, with USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels among the expected candidates.

That essentially left only the Vikings, Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders with openings. The Raiders agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with Gardner Minshew that could be worth up to $25 million, and he will compete with Aidan O’Connell. The Broncos still have Jarrett Stidham, while the Vikings appear to be starting over.

With Jacoby Brissett rejoining the Patriots, the free agent market is being highlighted by Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill. It still feels inevitable that the Raiders will release Jimmy Garoppolo, and the Bears should still want to trade Justin Fields. It’s conceivable that the Commanders could move Sam Howell, and the Jets are expected to part ways with Zach Wilson in some capacity.

With deals completed for Mayfield, Russell Wilson and Cousins, there is one final fascinating element in play. The final three teams in need of quarterback reinforcements – the Vikings, Broncos and Raiders, respectively – are ranked Nos. 11-13 in the draft. They could compete again for Michigan’s JJ McCarthy or perhaps even Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix.

The veteran trio set the tone for more fireworks on the quarterback front over the next two months.

(Photos by Baker Mayfield, Kirk Cousins ​​​​and Russell Wilson:
Todd Rosenberg, Stephen Maturen and Cooper Neill / Getty Images)