Kirk Cousins, quarterback, Washington Redskins
If you believe newly promoted Washington executive Doug Williams, the Redskins want to give Cousins a long-term extension “in the worst way.” Though, if that dream does become reality, the franchise will have to lay out a compelling financial case for Cousins to sign on the dotted line.
It’s not like these two sides haven’t been banging their heads together for a long time. They have. But consistently, Washington has offered Cousins deals he knows are lower than what he’d see on the open market. So, rather than take a lesser deal, he’s been content to settle for one-year, fully guaranteed franchise tenders, the latest of which will pay him $24 million in 2017.
However, the franchise has until July 17 to figure out a way to keep Cousins for the long term, rather than one one-year rentals. If the Redskins cannot figure it out, then they’ll be forced to either pay upwards of $35 million on another franchise tag next year or let Cousins hit free agency. Either way, he’s in the driver’s seat for a humongous payday.
We already know Cousins will be a hot item on the open market if Washington lets him test the waters of free agency. The team everyone’s talking about as a natural fit is the San Francisco 49ers, who’ll be looking for a top quarterback next year, either in the draft or in free agency. Cousins would reportedly love to re-join his old offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, who’s now the head coach of the Bay Area team.
If Washington is smart, it will end the games with Cousins and simply pay him what he’s worth. While we won’t go so far as to say Cousins is a top-five quarterback, he’s certainly a top-10 guy, and as such he’s due for a significant long-term deal.