2016 NFL Free Agency: Big Paydays Coming for Brock Osweiler, Ryan Fitzpatrick

An already shallow pool of available quarterbacks lost Kirk Cousins and Sam Bradford this week, making it more and more likely Brock Osweiler and Ryan Fitzpatrick will follow suit and cash in on huge paydays. 

The supply and demand of the rarest commodity in the NFL all but requires it, especially with the salary cap increasing in huge chunks every offseason. In the coming days or weeks, the top two free-agent quarterbacks will put the pen to paper on lucrative deals.

Keep in mind, the NFL is now a league where Cousins and Bradford will make almost $40 million combined next season.

Cousins came off the market first, as he turned his breakout season in Washington into the incredible one-year sum of the quarterback franchise tag. According to ESPN.com, the tag is worth $19.953 million for quarterbacks in 2016. Not surprisingly, Cousins signed the tender less than 24 hours after being tagged.  

Bradford wasn't awarded the tag, but he still one-upped Cousins. The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to give the 28-year-old quarterback a two-year, $35 million deal—which, according to Spotrac, includes $22 million in guarantees and another $4 million in potential incentives. 

Cousins was never expected to reach the open market. Bradford re-signing in Philadelphia was predictable but far from a guarantee—especially before the start of the new league year. 

Their exits now open the door for Osweiler and Fitzpatrick to make their money as the top quarterbacks available in a system continuously starved at the position.  

Osweiler—who doesn't turn 26 until November—made seven starts for the Denver Broncos in 2015, throwing 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. The Broncos beat the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals with him under center, but the former second-round pick was eventually replaced by Peyton Manning for the Super Bowl run. 

Even general manager John Elway admitted the difficulties in putting a value on Osweiler moving forward.

“When you look at where the salaries are on quarterbacks, either above $15 million or below $5 [million]," Elway said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "There’s no middle class of quarterbacks. So that’s where you hope you could get a fair deal with Brock’s people and his representatives."

Osweiler isn't signing a deal anywhere near $5 million. Elway likely hopes to get an agreement done in the nonexistent middle class of quarterbacks, but Osweiler holds all the cards. He saw Cousins, who didn't beat a team with a winning record last season, get almost $20 million on the tag. He also saw Bradford, who quarterbacked a franchise that fired its head coach, get $17.5 million per year. 

Fitzpatrick should also understand his favorable situation. 

The 33-year-old journeyman quarterback is coming off a career season in which he threw 31 touchdowns for the New York Jets. Despite his age and the fact he's played for three teams in the last three seasons, Fitzpatrick has put himself in position to get a deal resembling Bradford's. 

Dom Cosentino of NJ.com believes the Jets could use the same kind of short, front-loaded deal used by the Eagles to keep Fitzpatrick in New York. He won't make nearly $18 million per year, but it seems reasonable—given the market and his volume numbers from 2015—he could ask for a big number from the Jets over a two- or three-year agreement. 

This is reality in today's NFL for quarterbacks. 

According to Spotrac, 20 players at the position currently average $16 million or more, including 12 over $19 million. When a team finds a quarterback, the big money soon follows—lessening the supply and increasing the demand for the poor franchises still struggling at the game's most important position. 

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Cousins, Bradford, Osweiler and Fitzpatrick aren't exactly world-beaters. Only Cousins started a playoff game last season, while the other three fit comfortably outside the top 10 players at the quarterback position. Cousins has exactly one good season under his belt. 

Bradford finished 2015 ranked 26th in passer rating at 86.4. The two players directly above him? Osweiler (86.4) and Fitzpatrick (88.0). 

Even average equals a payday at quarterback. 

Pro Football Focus put out a list of the site's top seven quarterbacks heading for free agency. Fitzpatrick and Osweiler topped the rankings. Behind them? Matt Moore, Tarvaris Jackson, Brandon Weeden, Matt Hasselbeck and Kellen Moore.

Just think about those names. The future becomes far less difficult to predict. Prepare for Fitzpatrick and Osweiler to take full advantage of a shallow market of quarterbacks, especially within a market paying even the most mediocre of quarterbacks a small fortune. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFL for Bleacher Report.