Kirk Cousins enters his second consecutive season playing for the Washington Redskins under NFL’s franchise tag. The Redskins’ starting quarterback will make $23.9 million this upcoming season because of the franchise tag. To avoid that, the Washington Redskins have until Monday afternoon to hammer out a long-term deal with Cousins. However, there are reports that the two sides are at an impasse on the contract negotiations.
The Washington Post is reporting that the Redskins may not come to terms on a contract with Kirk Cousins by the afternoon deadline. If the Redskins and Cousins cannot come to terms on an agreement, it would mean that he would have to bet on his play improving for a third year in a row.
With his performances the last two years as a starter, Kirk Cousins has proved himself worthy of a long-term contract. Cousins threw for over 9,000 yards with 54 touchdowns versus 23 interceptions. The Michigan State product also had completion percentages of 69.8 and 67 during the same time period.
The Washington Redskins were not convinced about Cousins’ ability to keep the strong play going entering last season.
According to the Monday Morning Quarterback , there has been some doubt in the minds of a few Redskins front office members. What those doubts were have never been expressed. His play has not done enough to quell those doubts.
Where Cousins plays beyond this season, whether it is with the Redskins or another franchise, will be determined next March. His future in Washington has already been discussed and will continue to be discussed throughout the season.
Kirk Cousins will not rule the Washington Redskins, even if both sides cannot come to an agreement by the deadline. According to an ESPN report, the 28 year-old would be receptive to negotiating with the Redskins during the next offseason. If both sides cannot find some middle ground on a long-term, the possibility of Cousins staying with the Redskins remain.
Washington can place the franchise tag on Kirk Cousins for another season. However, it would be to a contract figure of $34.4 million, which would hurt the Redskins’ chances of improving the team. During the period that Cousins is under the franchise tag, the Redskins have exclusive negotiation rights.
More on Kirk Cousins expected to let Monday’s deadline for a long term deal come and go without one:… https://t.co/jy6Q3qnX0R
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 16, 2017
Another option the Washington Redskins have is to issue the seldom used transition tag on Kirk Cousins. The risk of doing so is that another NFL team can communicate with Cousins and sign him. The Redskins would then have one week to duplicate the offer he would receive elsewhere.
One of the teams who will target Kirk Cousins in the offseason is the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers hired former Washington Redskins’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in the offseason (courtesy of the Mercury News ). Shanahan has been credited for grooming Kirk Cousins into an All-Pro caliber quarterback. The 49ers could have a quarterback vacancy next season. The Washington Redskins’ QB would be an obvious choice.
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