Let me make this clear from the start: Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins does not play his position better than defensive tackle Chris Jones plays his position for the Kansas City Chiefs.
So why is Cousins ranked as the top NFL free agent on my top-100 list? Position value. That’s the reason.
Cousins is a good quarterback, the kind who can take a good team to the Super Bowl and win it. He is coming off a torn Achilles tendon, but he should be ready for the open of the 2024 season, which makes him a starter of value in a league where teams crave that type of player under center.
Cousins has his faults for sure, but he’s rolled up big numbers in his career and the Vikings found out the cruel truth about his immense impact on their team when he was lost for the year. They would be wise to bring him back, but if he hits the market he is free-agent No. 1 in my book.
The rest of my top 10 includes eight defensive players, led by Jones in the second spot, with five of those being defensive linemen. It is a deep class from that standpoint, although franchise tag designations could change that.
The defensive line is the strength of this class. There are also some good corners and linebackers. The receiver group has some good players as well.
For the most part, it’s a good, solid class of free agents, with a lot of players capable of improving teams in a big way and a lot of guys who will start. The target age for free agents should be 26-28, otherwise you are paying for past performance rather than what’s to come. But with teams looking for immediate satisfaction now — more than ever — signing vets later in their careers to help right away makes more sense than it has in the past.
Cousins tops this list, but that’s just another reminder that quarterbacks are the most valuable players, but not necessarily the best at their positions. This is a quarterback league — and it always will be.
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Author: Pete Prisco
February 25, 2024 | 12:35 pm
