An open letter to Jets fans who don’t want Kirk Cousins

If you’re a New York Jets fan who doesn’t want the team to pursue Kirk Cousins in free agency, the following letter is for you. 

To my fellow New York Jets fan,

Despite our beloved team’s continual failure to find a competent starting quarterback, it has come to my attention that you don’t want the Jets to pursue Kirk Cousins in free agency.

I want you to know that I understand your position.

After all, NFL insiders are speculating that signing Cousins will cost a fortune, with one controversial report suggesting that the Vikings may offer him $30+ million/year for 3 years.

$30 million a year is a scary number right? For Jets fans who don’t understand their team’s salary cap situation or the intricacies of quarterback contracts in the NFL, I understand why that $30 million figure would be enough to scare them away from Cousins.

Of course, the Jets currently have almost $90 million in cap space. And quarterback contracts in the NFL are always excessively high and continually rising (see Jimmy Gaoppolo’s record-setting deal with the 49ers). So from that perspective, it would seem like paying Cousins $30 million/ year is both reasonable and affordable for the Jets.

Don’t get me wrong, though, fellow fan. I understand that your irrational dislike of Cousins transcends his high cost. You also argue that he isn’t a good quarterback.

More from Jets News

• NY Jets: Why the team should target cornerback Shaquill Griffin
• NY Jets reportedly non-tendering linebacker Harvey Langi
• NY Jets: Why the team should not cut Jamison Crowder
• NY Jets should try to sign Kenny Golladay in free agency
• NY Jets: Jonnu Smith would be a smart free-agent target

When asked why you don’t think Cousins is a good quarterback, you’ll inevitably stammer out some convoluted stat about how he hasn’t won a playoff game.

Never mind that Cousins has posted a 2/1 TD/INT ratio or had 4,000+ yards passing/season for each of the past three years. Never mind that Cousins threw for over 300 yards with 1 TD and 0 INT in his one playoff start. If your gut tells you Cousins isn’t good, that’s all that you need to know, right?

In summary, Jets fan who doesn’t want Cousins, this is your position. You think he costs too much, even though his next NFL contract will be reasonable (within the league’s structure for paying quarterbacks), and the Jets have more than enough money to pay him. You also don’t think he’s good, even though every single available statistic designed to gauge quarterback play disagrees with you.

And in typical New York sports fan fashion, there is no amount of logic, reason, or numbers that I could provide that would ever change your mind. So I won’t try to.

I want you to know that I’m with you, fellow Jets fan. I understand and support your right to embrace your gut instinct over common sense. And considering you’re probably the kind of fan who prefers ranting on social media to reading, I hope you’re nevertheless able to see this letter.