Kirk Cousins Rumors: Broncos Reportedly 'All-In' on Free-Agent QB

The Denver Broncos are going "all-in" to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported Thursday. 

According to Robinson, the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets will also make strong efforts to land Cousins.

Robinson also wrote the Broncos would potentially highlight "the team’s foundation for success and possibly the city itself" in its sales pitch to Cousins.

A lack of salary cap space is the most obvious problem for Denver when it comes to the Cousins sweepstakes. According to Over the Cap, the Broncos are set to have a little over $23.8 million available this offseason.

That's almost certainly not going to be enough to sign Cousins, since he may push for a salary that makes him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Jimmy Garoppolo currently owns that title, with his San Francisco 49ers extension paying him $27.5 million annually, per Spotrac.

Compare the Broncos' financial situation to that of the Jets ($90 million in cap space) and Vikings ($48.4 million), and those teams have a clear advantage.

The Washington Post's Mark Maske spoke to an NFL executive who said the growing opinion is that Cousins will wind up in Minnesota.

Pursuing Cousins obviously makes sense for the Broncos. He'd be a clear upgrade over Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch, and he'd help Denver capitalize on its Super Bowl window.

Selecting a quarterback with the fifth overall pick of the 2018 draft would set the Broncos up for the long term, but that strategy wouldn't provide the immediate returns signing Cousins would.

Given the competition for Cousins' signature this offseason, though, general manager John Elway should have a contingency plan in mind should the 2016 Pro Bowler go elsewhere.