HEADLINES

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins Open To Trade

February 16th, 2014 at 11:10am CST by Rory Parks

FEBRUARY 16: In a piece for his Real Redskins blog, Rich Tandler indicates that Cousins does not have to be dealt before or during the May 8 draft if the Redskins want to trade him this year. Although many pundits look at the team’s lack of a first-round pick this year and assume that Washington would want to add a second- or third-rounder to supplement their 2014 draft haul–and that the team would hang on to Cousins if they cannot swing such a deal–Tandler says that isn’t necessarily the case. Instead, Tandler writes the Redskins may be content to wait for a team that missed out on a QB it wanted in the draft, or a team that suffers an injury in the preseason, to come calling.

FEBRUARY 12: In an appearance on SiriusXM Radio, Cousins himself confirmed today that he’d be open to a trade (Twitter link). While that came with the caveat that he’s happy in Washington and loves the city, the fact that he didn’t simply shoot down the idea of a trade certainly suggests that he’s considered the possibility.

FEBRUARY 2: Redskins backup QB Kirk Cousins is open to a trade and has told the team as much, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. The Washington brass has declared Robert Griffin III the unquestioned starter heading into 2014, and although Cousins loves the organization, he believes he is ready to start and would rather play than serve as Griffin’s backup again.

As noted earlier, the Browns would be one potential landing spot for Cousins. Such a scenario is more likely now that the Browns have selected Kyle Shanahan as their new offensive coordinator. Shanahan, of course, was the Redskins OC for each of Cousins’ two years in Washington, so the two are very familiar with each other. Tony Grossi of ESPN.com (via Twitter) seems to expect a great deal of Cousins-to-the-Browns rumors in the near future. Grossi, though, also tweets that the Cousins story amounts to a “sucker’s trade” where the Redskins can drop the line and see who bites.

The Jets may be another option if Washington wanted to deal Cousins. ESPNNewYork.com’s Rich Cimini tweets that Jets fans may find the news of Cousins’ openness to a trade “interesting,” particularly in light of Geno Smith‘s recent off-field issues. As CBSSports.com’s Josh Katzowitz reported yesterday, Jets head coach Rex Ryan stopped short of naming Smith the team’s starting QB heading into 2014.

Meanwhile, Joel Corry of National Football Post tweets that Cousins’ being open to a trade was “inevitable” since the day he was drafted to back up Griffin, and Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that this is “not news.” Jones notes that Cousins has spoken many times about wanting to audition for other teams.

Cousins has shown flashes in his limited playing time, but his statistics thus far are fairly pedestrian. He has appeared in eight games in his career, starting four of them. In that time, he has thrown for 1,320 yards, eight touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Browns Unlikely To Trade For Kirk Cousins

February 5th, 2014 at 10:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Browns’ hiring of Kyle Shanahan to run their offense has fueled speculation that the Redskins’ former offensive coordinator could bring backup quarterback Kirk Cousins with him to Cleveland. However, despite a report indicating Cousins would be open to a trade, don’t expect the Browns to land him, according to Dianna Marie Russini of News4. Russini reports (via Twitter) that Cleveland isn’t interested in acquiring Cousins, since the team believes Brian Hoyer is a better option.

The report echoes one from over the weekend by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot cited a source in writing that there was only a “remote possibility” of Cousins being sent to the Browns. In addition to having Hoyer under contract for another year, the Browns are positioned to pick fourth overall in May’s draft, so they could also add a young, high-upside quarterback with that selection.

While the Browns may not have a ton of interest in acquiring Cousins, that doesn’t mean the young signal-caller won’t be surrounded by trade rumors during the offseason. GM Bruce Allen has publicly indicated that Washington isn’t looking to move its backup QB, but the club will have plenty of holes to fill heading into 2014, so if a deal could net the Redskins a solid piece or two, the team would probably at least have to consider it. The ’14 free agent market for quarterbacks is fairly thin, and there’s considered to be a moderate drop-off after the top three QBs in the draft. In other words, teams searching for an upgrade may be willing to make it worth the Redskins’ while to part with Cousins.

Redskins Rumors: Hall, Riley, Orakpo, Cousins

February 4th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Within the last two days, we’ve heard reports that the Redskins are discussing new long-term contracts for free-agents-to-be DeAngelo Hall and Perry Riley. GM Bruce Allen confirmed as much today, telling Zac Boyer of the Washington Times that the team has engaged in negotiations with reps for those two players, as well as linebacker Brian Orakpo. According to Allen, the Redskins coaching staff is still evaluating the team’s free agents, so exact figures likely won’t be exchanged with those players and their agents until the end of the month.

Here’s more on the Redskins:

  • Within Boyer’s piece, Allen also indicated that Kirk Cousins hadn’t requested a trade and that the team plans to have its second-string quarterback back next season: “There’s no change from our perspective on Kirk. That’s it. We’re comfortable with Kirk.” For what it’s worth, the weekend report on Cousins suggested he was open to a trade, not that he’d asked for one.
  • Allen also spoke to Boyer about the limitations that the 2012 and 2013 cap penalties still place on the Redskins: “We have the same [cap] number everybody else does this year, which is different, but if you look at the cap room around the league, that’s because everybody carried room over from the previous year, so we don’t have that. We have a lot of free agents. We have a lot of holes on the team that we need to fill, and the key is to look at our guys first and then we’ll look around, but having an understanding of what’s also in the draft.”
  • ESPN.com’s John Keim examines a few ways the Redskins could clear even more cap space, and takes an in-depth look at the club’s cornerback situation.
  • Replying to Keim’s cornerback piece, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com notes (via Twitter) that Aqib Talib looks like a logical free agent target for Washington, given Talib’s connection to Allen, who drafted him in Tampa Bay, and Redskins DB coach Raheem Morris, who coached him in Tampa.