Kirk Cousins

Franchise Rumors: Miller, Cousins, Norman

March 2nd, 2016 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined shortly after Tuesday’s deadline, 10 NFL teams used their franchise or transition tags this year to secure at least the right of first refusal for potential free agents. While there’s no pressure on those players to sign those franchise or transition tenders anytime soon, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported earlier today that at least one or two players, including Bills tackle Cordy Glenn, could sign those tenders sooner rather than later.

Signing a franchise tender ensures that a player is guaranteed his 2016 salary, and prevents the team from rescinding the offer down the road. It also precludes the player from exploring the market to see if there are any teams willing to sign him to an offer sheet, but there would be nothing stopping the player from continuing to work on an extension with his own team, prior to the July 15th deadline.

As we wait to see if any franchised players sign their tenders today, let’s round up a few items of interest relating to this year’s group of tag recipients…

Von Miller, the only player to receive an exclusive franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, is willing to take a “discount” on a long-term contract with the Broncos, says Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter links). As Breer points out though, it’s not clear whether Miller’s discount would apply to Ndamukong Suh‘s $19MM annual rate, or to Miller’s actual market value, which could exceed $20MM per year, according to rival executives. If the star pass rusher is only willing to accept less than his market value, that would still likely mean an average salary in the $18-19MM range.
Washington‘s long-term contract offers to quarterback Kirk Cousins have exceeded $16MM per year, according to Breer (Twitter links). However, Cousins’ camp is aiming for an annual average closer to the franchise-tag salary ($19.953MM). Still, Washington’s starting quarterback plans on signing his tender and reporting to offseason activities while the two sides continue to work on a multiyear extension.
Before the 2015 season began, the Panthers offered Josh Norman a five-year contract worth about $7.5MM annually, writes Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. Needless to say, Norman’s price has gone up significantly since then, with Person suggesting the veteran cornerback is seeking a deal that exceeds $14MM per year. Norman’s franchise-tag salary is $13.952MM.

Washington Rumors: Cousins, Davis, Galette

February 29th, 2016 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

When ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on Friday that Washington would use either the franchise or transition tag on quarterback Kirk Cousins, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk refuted that report, suggesting no decision has been made and adding that the team was more likely than not to avoid tagging Cousins. Three days later though, Schefter is sticking to his initial story, tweeting again that Washington will tag Cousins before Tuesday’s deadline.

Washington is not done discussing a long-term deal with Cousins yet, however, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post, who tweets that the two sides will continue to talk right up until the March 1st deadline. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) echoes that report, but both reporters view a tag as the most probable scenario, with Rapoport suggesting the transition tag might be the likeliest outcome.

As we wait to see what happens with Cousins and Washington, here’s the latest out of D.C., including more on the free agent quarterback:

John Keim of ESPN.com breaks down the risks and benefits of using the franchise or transition tag on Cousins. Using the transition tag would save a couple million dollars, but would result in no compensation if Cousins signs with an offer sheet elsewhere and Washington decides not to match it. While that approach may seem risky, Keim notes that if the team goes that direction, it would be based on extensive market research.
Could Washington be a potential destination for free agent tight end Vernon Davis? As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes, Davis appears unlikely to re-sign with the Broncos, and Washington is worth keeping an eye on since GM Scot McCloughan drafted the veteran tight end during his time in San Francisco.
Given his suspension history and the fact that Washington holds the right of first refusal on him, pass rusher Junior Galette may have a hard time landing an offer sheet from another team, says Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (all Twitter links). In La Canfora’s view, there are enough factors working against Galette that it’ll be hard for him to get big-time money, or more than a one-year offer. The 27-year-old will also be working with new representation, having recently fired his agent.
In case you missed it: We previewed Washington’s offseason last week.

East Notes: Eagles, Cousins, Jets

February 28th, 2016 at 11:17am CST by Rory Parks

We recently rounded up the latest reports concerning Sam Bradford‘s status with the Eagles, so let’s dive into some more notes from the league’s east divisions, starting with more out of Philadelphia:

The Eagles were the only team to avoid drafting an offensive lineman in the 2014 and 2015 drafts, but Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer expects that to change in 2016. Head coach Doug Pederson has spoken highly of this draft’s class of offensive linemen, and although the team could address its deficiencies along the O-line in free agency, Philadelphia is likely to use at least one of its nine draft choices on a guard or a tackle who could begin his career on the interior of the line.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com examines the risks involved for Washington if the team were to offer a long-term deal to Kirk Cousins. Fitzgerald does not believe Washington should go higher than $15MM per year for Cousins, and he says that if the two sides cannot come to an agreement on a multi-year deal, the team should place the transition tag on its quarterback.
Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum is now the Dolphins‘ executive vice president of football operations, and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan is now the Bills‘ head coach. As Brian Costello of The New York Post writes, that situation may be creating some additional leverage for impending Jets free agents like Damon Harrison who have ties to Ryan and Tannenbaum and who might have a landing spot in Buffalo or Miami if they do not get paid by New York.
The Jets‘ plan remains to continue negotiating with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and the team is not interested in trading for Colin Kaepernick, according to Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com.
The Patriots are looking hard at running backs, both in the draft and in free agency, per Ben Volin of The Boston Globe. New England is typically loathe to spend more than $1MM on a running back, but Volin believes the team may splurge a bit on a veteran this year, considering how badly the Pats were handicapped by the lack of a running game in their loss to Denver in the AFC Championship Game.
However, the Patriots will not dramatically alter their usual low-key approach to the offseason just because they do not have a first-round pick, according to Christopher Price of WEEI.com.

Washington To Use Tag On Kirk Cousins?

February 27th, 2016 at 5:04pm CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY: Washington initially offered Cousins $12.5MM per year on a long-term deal and then increased the number to $15MM, tweets Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Cousins, however, wants at least $19MM per annum, according to Rapoport (Twitter link).

FRIDAY, 1:43pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that Washington has yet to make a decision on whether to use any form of tag on Cousins. In fact, the source believes it’s currently more likely than not that Washington won’t place the franchise or transition tag on the quarterback.

Florio speculates that Schefter’s report came from a team source hoping to discourage rival suitors from putting together offers for Cousins or talking to his agent at the combine this weekend.

With conflicting reports on the table now, it looks like this situation could remain up in the air until Tuesday’s franchise-tag deadline.

12:59pm: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Washington is keeping all of its options open on Cousins, and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of tagging him, then trading him.

12:42pm: Washington will use a tag on Kirk Cousins, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who tweets that the “only decision left” is whether to place the franchise or transition tag on the quarterback. While Schefter doesn’t mention it, the team will also have to weigh the exclusive vs. the non-exclusive franchise tag.

The transition tag, the least expensive of the three options, would allow Washington to match any other team’s offer sheet for Cousins once he reaches free agency, but the club wouldn’t receive any compensation if it declines to match that offer sheet. The non-exclusive franchise tag would also allow Cousins to sign an offer sheet elsewhere, but Washington would get two first-round picks from the signing team in that scenario. The exclusive franchise tag, the most expensive option, prevents any other team from negotiating with the quarterback.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday about Washington’s negotiations with Cousins, GM Scot McCloughan said that he has met with the quarterback’s agent face-to-face this week, describing the sit-down as “very positive,” per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). According to McCloughan, conversations are going on “every day” between the two sides, and he remains optimistic that something will get done (Twitter link).

Still, with Cousins holding most of the leverage in contract talks, he has long been viewed as a prime candidate to be franchised, since Washington probably can’t afford to let him hit the open market, and there’s little motivation for him to take a discount on a multiyear deal.

No player in the league did more over the last four weeks of the regular season to help his stock than Cousins, who completed 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, while posting a 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio to go along with a 134.0 quarterback rating. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Cousins, Reiff, Falcons, Floyd

February 24th, 2016 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

As noted earlier this afternoon, Washington‘s Scot McCloughan wasn’t on today’s schedule of general managers or head coaches to hold formal press conferences at the combine in Indianapolis. However, he did speak to the media about his team’s contract talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

While McCloughan didn’t go into specifics, he said that he has met with Cousins’ agent face-to-face this week, describing the sit-down as “very positive,” per Mike Jones of the Washington Post (Twitter link). According to McCloughan, conversations are going on “every day” between the two sides, and he remains optimistic that something will get done (Twitter link).

Let’s round up several more of the latest GM and head coach comments from the combine in Indianapolis, with a focus on NFC teams….

Lions tackle Riley Reiff is currently set to earn an $8.07MM salary for 2016, and while that money isn’t yet guaranteed, Reiff won’t be going anywhere, GM Bob Quinn said today (Twitter link via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). It’s not clear yet what position Reiff will play next season, but he’ll be a Lion.
Speaking to the media today, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said that he’d like to see defensive free agents Adrian Clayborn and O’Brien Schofield re-signed, and added that no veterans besides Paul Soliai have been approached about restructuring their contracts (Twitter links via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and ESPN’s Vaughn McClure).
There’s no new deal imminent for Michael Floyd, but GM Steve Keim had plenty of praise for the Cardinals wideout, as Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com details. Floyd is extension-eligible but still has one year left on his rookie contract, so Arizona doesn’t have to get anything done right away.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman confirmed today that wide receiver Kevin Norwood met the conditions of the trade Carolina made with Seattle prior to the 2015 season, so the Seahawks will receive the Panthers‘ seventh-round pick in 2017, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.
Despite a fairly sizable cap hit for 2016, Vikings defensive end Brian Robison sounds like a good bet to remain on Minnesota’s roster based on comments made today by GM Rick Spielman, says Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.

NFC East Rumors: Washington, Cowboys, Cruz

February 24th, 2016 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Washington executives Scot McCloughan and Bruce Allen aren’t scheduled to speak to the media in formal press conferences this week at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, but head coach Jay Gruden did so today, touching on a handful of topics surrounding the team. Most notably, Gruden expressed confidence that Washington will work something out with quarterback Kirk Cousins, suggesting that the two sides continue to talk in the hopes of hammering out an agreement (Twitter link via Mike Jones of the Washington Post).

Cousins isn’t the only quarterback that Gruden is bullish about bringing back. According to Jones (via Twitter), the head coach also wants to re-sign Colt McCoy. However, it sounds as if linebacker Keenan Robinson will depart via free agency. John Keim of ESPN.com adds that Gruden spoke to defensive lineman Jason Hatcher recently and thinks that Hatcher is leaning toward playing in 2016, rather than retiring.

Here’s more from around the NFC East:

Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones spoke about his team’s approach to free agency, suggesting that the Cowboys don’t want to “pay a good player like he’s a great player” if they can avoid it. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com has the details and the quotes from Jones.
Giants head coach Ben McAdoo said today that he “absolutely” expects Victor Cruz to return to the club next season, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. Cruz, who has a $9.9MM cap hit, recently estimated that he has an 80% chance of being retained by the Giants.
Paul Schwartz of the New York Post tweets that McAdoo’s comments today made it sound as if he really wants the Giants to re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul.
McAdoo also confirmed today that “there was a potential for a second interview” for the Eagles‘ head coaching job before he was promoted by the Giants. As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets, McAdoo said he wasn’t formally offered the Eagles’ job.

Free Agent Rumors: Berry, Laurinaitis, Jackson

February 22nd, 2016 at 12:07pm CST by Luke Adams

There have been multiple reports this month suggesting that the Chiefs are working on a contract extension for safety Eric Berry, making it one of their top priorities this offseason. Despite Kansas City’s obvious interest in getting something done with the All-Pro defender, no significant progress has been made at this point between the two sides, tweets Rand Getlin of the NFL Network.

I identified Berry as a strong candidate to receive the franchise tag when I examined potential recipients last week, noting that the price for safeties is reasonable compared to some other positions. While that may be where this is heading, the Chiefs still have another week to try to work out something longer-term with the 27-year-old.

Let’s check in on a few other free agents, or free-agents-to-be….

Appearing today on SiriusXM NFL Radio, linebacker James Laurinaitis, who was cut by the Rams on Friday, said that he’d like to join a team with a shot to win the Super Bowl. According to Laurinaitis, agent Tom Condon told him that teams have already reached out, and he should have a better idea of his options after the combine. While he admitted that he grew up as a Vikings fan, Laurinaitis maintained that he’s open to any potential suitor (all Twitter links).
While one veteran Seahawks running back – Marshawn Lynch – has announced his retirement, Fred Jackson doesn’t appear ready to call it a career. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Jackson want to play in 2016. It’s not clear yet if Seattle will be interested in bringing back the veteran, who doesn’t have a contract for next season.
A year after being traded to Detroit by the Ravens, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is unlikely to reunite with his old team in free agency, says Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. As Hensley writes, the Ravens simply don’t have a real need for a player like Ngata, and will likely focus on edge defenders instead.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins holds all the cards in contract discussions with Washington, and the team knows it, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.
The Jets would like to re-sign running back Bilal Powell, but there were other suitors – including division rivals – lurking if New York can’t lock him up by March 9th, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com outlines.

East Notes: Cousins, Carroll, Soliai

February 21st, 2016 at 8:54am CST by Rory Parks

It is difficult to imagine Kirk Cousins playing anywhere besides Washington next season, either under the franchise tag or under a lucrative, long-term deal. The most recent report regarding contract negotiations between the two parties suggested that the prospect of Cousins and Washington striking a multi-year deal was “not good,” although the application of the franchise tag always seems to invigorate stalled contract talks.

But even if Cousins ultimately plays out the 2016 season under the tag, it may not handicap Washington that much in the short-term. As John Keim of ESPN.com observes, Washington’s 2016 cap number already includes Robert Griffin III‘s $16.15MM option, and the team is almost certainly going to cut Griffin in the near future. As such, putting the franchise tag on Cousins really only adds an extra $4MM or so to the team’s cap commitment, as the tag value for quarterbacks is projected to be around $20MM. Certainly Washington would rather have an extra $4MM to spend, particularly since it does not have a ton of cap room to begin with–plus, signing Cousins to a long-term deal might put his first-year cap hit under $10MM, thus creating even more space–but for 2016, at least, the tag might not be as crippling as it otherwise could be.

Now let’s take a look at some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Mark Eckel of LehighValleyLive.com takes a look at how the Eagles will address their secondary this offseason, a conversation that necessarily begins with cornerback Nolan Carroll, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Carroll is a solid player, but the price to keep him should not be prohibitive, especially since he ended the season on IR after breaking his ankle in the team’s Thanksgiving contest against Detroit. If Carroll is retained, Philadelphia could shift Eric Rowe from cornerback to safety, his more natural position, to replace Walter Thurmond, who is likely to depart in free agency.
The Falcons will release Paul Soliai on or after March 9, and the 32-year-old defensive tackle would apparently like to return to the Dolphins, according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (via Twitter). Soliai spent the first seven seasons of his career with Miami before signing with Atlanta prior to the 2014 campaign, and although his 2015 performance was not up to his usual standards, he could still be a valuable member of either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.
The Jets will make a concerted effort to address the tight end position in free agency and/or the draft, per Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. The team needs a tight end who can challenge a defense in the middle of the field, and although this year’s free agent class of tight ends is uninspiring–Antonio Gates will likely stay in San Diego, leaving players like Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen at the top of the market–but Arkansas’ Hunter Harvey, widely regarded as the best TE in the draft, should be available when Gang Green makes its first selection in this year’s draft.
Patriots RB Dion Lewis, who was a catalyst of the team’s offense prior to tearing his ACL on November 8, is making good progress in his recovery and should be available for the start of the regular season, as Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com reports.

East Notes: Wilkerson, Eagles, Cousins, Jets

February 18th, 2016 at 3:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets reportedly intend to use their franchise tag on Muhammad Wilkerson within the next couple weeks, but that doesn’t mean Wilkerson won’t have suitors this offseason. Given the Jets’ depth at defensive end, the team is expected to at least listen to trade offers for Wilkerson, and it sounds like the standout defender wants to make it clear that he’s recovering from well from the broken leg that ended his season last month.

“Great visit w/ Dr. Anderson 2day in NC,” Wilkerson tweeted today. “Leg responded gr8, starting rehab ahead of schedule. Anxious to get to work. Thx for all the support!”

Wilkerson’s leg injury was never expected to sideline him for any of the 2016 season, but the fact that he’s ahead of schedule in the rehab process is a good sign for the Jets and for any teams that may be considering making a play for him in the coming weeks.

Let’s check in on several more updates from out of the NFL’s East divisions…

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Chase Daniel will be a “name to watch” this offseason for the Eagles. Daniel, a free-agent-to-be, has been previously linked to Philadelphia, due to the team’s hiring of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. Rapoport suggests the Eagles’ new head coach views Daniels as “more than a backup.”
John Keim of ESPN.com and Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports each examine the Kirk Cousins contract situation in Washington, with Keim suggesting the team must maintain future cap flexibility, with many other extension candidates on deck in a year or two. As for Garafolo, he still sees the franchise tag as the most likely outcome for Cousins, since the quarterback has far more leverage at this point than Washington does.
Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t a franchise quarterback, but he’s a great bridge option for the Jets, who must re-sign him, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini projects a three-year, $24MM pact, including $12MM guaranteed, for Fitzpatrick, whom the ESPN scribe expects to be back in New York next season.
Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald expects the Dolphins to either lock up Olivier Vernon to a multiyear contract or use their franchise tag on him, since “it makes no sense” to allow a young pass rusher like Vernon to reach the open market.
Although Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft has the Cowboys selecting Jared Goff with the No. 4 overall selection, Todd Archer of ESPN.com remains skeptical that Dallas will use that pick on a quarterback.

Latest On Kirk Cousins, Washington

February 17th, 2016 at 6:32pm CST by Zachary Links

6:32pm: The likelihood of the two sides reaching a long-term pact is “not good,” per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. However, that could change after Washington applies the franchise tag to Cousins, Rapoport adds (Twitter link).

9:53am: There will be no long-term deal “now nor anytime soon” between Washington and quarterback Kirk Cousins, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). However, things are not contentious between the two sides, he says.

Earlier this week, there were some conflicting reports as to whether talks between the two sides were active. The discussions have “broken off,” yet the two sides are “still talking,” just without much to discuss at the moment, Schefter tweets. That report alone sounds pretty ambiguous, but the main point here seems to be that there probably won’t be a long-term pact hammered out in the coming weeks.

Reports late in the 2015 season suggested that Washington intended to retain Cousins by any means necessary, and the franchise tag wouldn’t be a bad outcome for the player. Based on a projected salary cap of $154MM for 2016, the non-exclusive franchise tag for quarterbacks this year would be worth nearly $20MM, and that salary becomes fully guaranteed if and when a player signs the franchise tender. Locking in a guarantee of nearly $20MM for one year and setting a baseline for a longer-term extension could help improve Cousins’ leverage in contract talks. And of course, if Washington doesn’t use its franchise tag to lock him up, he would potentially have the opportunity to reach the open market, where multiple lucrative offers would likely be waiting for him.

Perhaps no player in the league did more over the last four weeks of the regular season to help his stock than Cousins, who completed 74% of his passes for nearly 1,200 yards, while posting a 12:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio to go along with a 134.0 quarterback rating. For the season, Cousins thew 29 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, led the league in completion percentage (69.8%), and helped Washington win its first division title since 2012.

We ranked Cousins third overall in our most recent free agent power rankings, and identified him earlier this week as one of 2016’s top franchise-tag candidates.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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