10 options to be Denver Broncos quarterback in 2024 season
Denver Broncos QB option no. 3: Kirk Cousins
The natural progression in this particular discussion, after you've looked at in-house candidates, is to turn to NFL free agency. The top free agent quarterback currently poised to be available in 2024 is Minnesota Vikings starter Kirk Cousins.
I'm not sure Broncos Country could stomach another "Kirk Cousins Watch", even six years removed from the 2018 saga.
Back in 2018, Cousins was slated to hit free agency and there were substantial rumors that he would be interested in coming to Denver to fill the Broncos' QB vacancy. Although there were expected to be a number of teams interested in acquiring him including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, it felt like the Broncos had the best chances of landing him due to the fact that they had just won the Super Bowl a couple of years prior.
After the Jaguars decided to go with Blake Bortles, it seemed like the waters had parted and the path for Cousins to come to Denver was clear. The Vikings had just made it to the playoffs with Cardiac Case Keenum and they were expected to offer him a deal to stay.
Unfortunately for Broncos fans, the hope of having Cousins come to Denver was dashed rather quickly in free agency as he chose the Vikings and the Broncos pivoted quickly to Case Keenum.
Good times.
Kirk Cousins has been a really solid player for the Vikings since signing there, and he's certainly been one of the most lucrative QBs in the league over the last decade. By the end of the 2023 season, Cousins will have made over $230 million in total money since 2012 when he was selected in the fourth round by Washington.
And as a free agent in 2024, he stands to make even more. When all is said and done, it would be shocking if Cousins ended his career with less than $300 million in career earnings. Would the Broncos be the ones to pay him the big bucks? That would be extremely difficult with Russell Wilson's deal on the books, but not impossible, either.