While Kirk Cousins would be the best quarterback to hit free agency in years, there’s still a possibility he doesn’t reach the market.
Some around the league believe the Redskins will apply the franchise tag to Cousins for the third straight year, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. Although, doing so would mean a price tag that’s nearly one fifth of Washington’s projected 2018 cap.
A Cousins franchise tag would cost the Redskins $34.47MM — a 44 percent hike from his second tag of 2017. Were it to be the non-exclusive tag, teams could still negotiate with the 29-year-old passer but would have to surrender two first-round picks if the Redskins didn’t match the offer sheet.
The $28.72MM transition tag could be an option, Florio writes, although a report emerged in November indicating the Redskins weren’t considering it.
Cousins figures to be in demand if he hits the market, and him not doing so could cause quarterback-needy teams to adjust their strategies come March. But with Cousins and the Redskins having failed for two years to come to an agreement, the parties suddenly working out a long-term deal may be the less likely outcome. If they don’t, then the Redskins — who do have backup Colt McCoy under contract for $3.6MM in 2018 — would join other teams in need of a franchise quarterback.
If they hit him with the tag for the third time, it just seems like they should have worked out a deal long ago. So much money to spend at this point.
He doesn’t want to be in Washington. He wants more money and he wants to test FA. Tag him again at $35MM and he will take it only to be in the same spot next year. Redskins would be dumb to tag him again. I think Cousins is a good QB, franchise QB, but these actions can lead to the detriment of your franchise. Like being 20% of the cap and only a short term solution.