There’s going to be a lot of talk over the next several weeks about the entire Kirk Cousins situation in D.C. Do the Washington Redskins place the franchise tag on their Pro Bowl quarterback? If they do, will Cousins actually sign it?
The backdrop here is also intriguing, as multiple teams will likely show interest in the vastly improved signal caller. That includes Cousins’ former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers.
As the Redskins find themselves coming up on the deadline to franchise Cousins, one teammate is pleading with the team to bring him back.
“I think first of all, we got to bring Kirk back. We got to bring Kirk back, tight end Jordan Reed said, via the Washington Post. “We got to bring two of our most valuable weapons back — Pierre and (Jackson) — for us to have a shot. So, I think we need to bring those guys back and add a couple more pieces on defense, and I think we’ll be right where we need to be.”
It’s not a surprise that Reed would throw his support behind Washington retaining Cousins. The two have built up quite the chemistry over the past couple seasons with Reed acting as one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.
But it really isn’t that simple. Cousins has put up consecutive stellar seasons and should be able to demand elite-level play. In fact, there’s reports that suggest his new contract might make him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL (more on that here).
The issue is that Washington has in the past failed to show a long-term commitment to Cousins. This could have changed following a 2016 campaign that saw him put up nearly 5,000 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. Still, for whatever reason, there seems to be some consternation on Washington’s part here.
If the Redskins are unable or unwilling to bring Cousins back, it would create a major issue at the quarterback position. Cousins is by far their best option. This leads many to believe the Redskins will do everything possible to retain Cousins, even if it means dealing with another one-year contract under the dreaded franchise tag.