Kirk Cousins is a franchise quarterback ... but only for the right team.

Top tier quarterbacks almost never hit free agency. The only two in recent memory were Drew Brees going from San Diego to New Orleans and Peyton Manning moving from Indianapolis to Denver. In both those instances, the move was necessitated by injuries. This offseason we finally get to see a bidding war for a franchise level quarterback in Kirk Cousins.

He had a fantastic 2015 campaign, leading Washington to the NFC East title, winning his final four games to get a home playoff game. Cousins completed 69.8 percent of his pass attempts with an excellent 101.6 QB rating. Football Outsiders ranked him as the seventh-best QB that season. Instead of paying Cousins when they should have, Washington slapped the franchise tag on him.

His 2016 season wasn’t as crisp as 2015, but Football Outsiders still ranked him as the third-best quarterback in the NFL. Cousins was above average in passer rating under pressure and when being blitzed, on third and fourth downs, when kept clean and so on. Even with his team stumbling down the stretch and missing the playoffs, Cousin was among the upper tier of quarterbacks in the league.

It seemed like Washington wanted to pay Cousins, but Cousins didn’t seem interested in their deal. He once again played on the franchise tag in 2017.

Last offseason, Cousins lost his top two targets in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon. They were replaced by free agent Terrelle Pryor and a finally healthy Josh Doctson. His tight end, Jordan Reed, was hampered by injuries all season, and only caught 27 passes in six games. With all the losses on offense, including a banged up offensive line, Cousins wasn’t the same quarterback as the previous two seasons.

In a surprise move, right before the Super Bowl 52, Washington traded for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Alex Smith and agreed to a long-term contract. Cousins is finally on his way out of Washington.

Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky (who I lean on for quarterback evaluation) has nothing but praise for Cousins.

Cousins can process information and plays well with his eyes. He throws with anticipation and accuracy. This is evident when attempting passes over 20 yards. According to Pro Football Focus, in 2017 Cousins had a passer rating of 106 when attempting passers over 20 yards, compared to an NFL average of 86.2 on deep throws.

I think we have seen too that Cousins is a passionate leader which plays well in a huddle.

He often tries doing too much, leading to interceptions. His team hadn’t won a national TV game with him under center, which are typically against the best opponents, until this season. In 2016, needing wins to make the playoffs, he threw six interceptions in two home games against the struggling Panthers and a Giants team in Week 17 that already had their playoff spot clinched. While he can sling the rock past 20 yards, his arm strength can be a question mark at times.

When we evaluate quarterback’s, we often overlook how their defense is playing. The job of quarterback is tough enough, but when you add playing with a sub par defense, it adds a whole new dimension.

In 2015, our Giants offense was seventh in the NFL. Our defense was 32nd. We lost a game scoring 49 points. We had to be perfect every single drive. We had to score points every time we touched the ball. We were never afforded the opportunity to relax and play freely knowing that if we made a mistake, the defense would pick us up. In the last three seasons, Cousins has had to deal with that same problem.

The teams vying for his services could be the Browns, Vikings, Jets, Broncos and Cardinals. Out of those teams, the Browns clearly have the most cap space and, in theory, could offer the most money. I don’t buy this idea that Cousins will take far less money to play for a better team. There could be a situation where there is a mutual decision not to work on a deal, like the Browns right now.

Current left tackle Joe Thomas has openly campaigned for the Browns to pay Cousins $35 million a year. The Browns have a good offensive line and decent ground game with young running backs. They drafted a promising tight end and have Josh Gordon coming back in 2018 after his suspension ended late in 2017. But, their pass defense is atrocious.

The Browns have shown no ability to develop and properly use a rookie quarterback. I’d go to Cleveland if they offer you the most money.

According to reports, the Jets are hot for Cousins. This is an interesting option. They have an outstanding young offensive coordinator, Jeremy Bates, who worked wonders with Josh McCown. They’ve been looking for a franchise quarterback for years. However, I don’t think the Jets have enough parts around Cousins to make it work. The Jets shouldn’t be an option for Cousins.

Since Peyton Manning left the Broncos, they haven’t been able to find a reliable starting quarterback. They would be another team who would be over the moon to sign Cousins. But the Broncos feel too chaotic for Cousins. Last season there were rumors that first year head coach Vance Joseph was going to be fired. You have general manager John Elway calling the team “soft.” Without Wade Phillips running the defense, they regressed. I just don’t like this fit for Cousins.

The Cardinals are in too much of a transition period with a new head coach in Steve Wilks for Cousins to consider signing there. He could be sold on the idea of heading there and building something from the ground up with Wilks, but Cousins isn’t at that point in his career. The Cardinals would be wise to draft a young quarterback and develop him.

The perfect fit is the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins will have an opportunity to finally play with a top-level defense and a stable of offensive weapons. The Vikings are a quarterback away from making a Super Bowl. The Vikings have Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen at wide receiver, Kyle Rudolph at tight end, a healthy Dalvin Cook at running back and an improved offensive line. It couldn’t be a better fit for Cousins.

Reports are out now that the Vikings are going to make a competitive offer to Cousins which shows they know he’s the ideal fit for their team. It also reveals that, contrary to popular belief, Cousins is going to a team that makes a top bid. I never bought the idea that Cousins would turn down a significantly higher deal to go somewhere that has a chance to win. That’s a fairy tale that rarely happens for the guys at the top of their free agency class.

Free agency is a grand time in the NFL calendar. So much excitement for teams trying to land that perfect fit. I love it. Hopefully Cousins can find his perfect fit as well.