Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins To File Grievance If Tagged?

The Redskins are reportedly considering using the franchise tag on Kirk Cousins even though they have already acquired his replacement in Alex Smith. If that happens, Albert Breer of The MMQB‘s “understanding” is that Cousins’ camp would quickly file a grievance against the team. Kirk Cousins (vertical)

Players often bemoan the franchise tag, but there is no precedent for getting it turned over. In the case of Cousins, the camp would argue that the Redskins are violating the spirit of the rule, since the tag is supposed to be used in order to give teams additional time to get a long-term deal done. After years of lowball offers and the acquisition of Smith, it’s clear that the Redskins have zero intention of giving Cousins a multi-year contract. Instead, the Redskins would only use the non-exclusive tag on Cousins to collect draft compensation from the team that signs him.

The Redskins would be taking a major gamble by tagging Cousins. Although several QB-needy teams are planning to line up for Cousins in March, it’s possible that none of them will be willing to cough up two first-round picks for him. This year’s QB free agent crop may include decent consolation prizes like Case Keenum and A.J. McCarron. Meanwhile, draft prospects Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen may have franchise QB potential. Instead of sacrificing two first-round picks for Cousins, a team picking outside of the top two could use that draft capital to move up for those younger options. They’d also be much cheaper. This year’s No. 1 overall pick is slotted to earn $32.8MM on a four-year deal with a $21.9MM signing bonus. A franchise-tagged Cousins would cost $34.5MM for the upcoming season and command at least $30MM/year on a long-term contract.

And, even if Cousins is tagged and loses his grievance, he’ll have a great deal of leverage on his side. Cousins could delay signing the tender for weeks or months, forcing Washington to carry the $34.5MM number against its salary cap since he cannot be traded before putting pen to paper. Cousins could also tell a potential trade partner that he is unwilling to sign a long-term deal, which would scare any GM off of giving up two first rounders. If the Redskins tag Cousins and remove it later, they’ll lose the right to gain a 2019 compensatory pick, which they would get if Cousins leaves right away as an unrestricted free agent.

49ers Accepted Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo Offer “In 10 Minutes”

Kyle Shanahan said he met with Bill Belichick at the 2017 Combine and asked the Patriots’ top decision-maker about Jimmy Garoppolo‘s availability, and the then-rookie 49ers coach was told the then-Pats backup quarterback was not on the block.

The 49ers did not have a quarterback on their roster at that point and were pessimistic about former Shanahan pupil Kirk Cousins‘ availability as well.

At that time, the only guys we thought were franchise quarterbacks that were being mentioned were Kirk and Jimmy,” Shanahan told Albert Breer of SI.com in an expansive interview. “And I knew Kirk wasn’t going to be a possibility. And I remember asking Bill personally down at the combine about Jimmy, and very quickly he told me that wasn’t a possibility. So we moved on from that. He told me he wasn’t going to trade him.”

However, Shanahan confirmed to Breer the Patriots contacted him on Oct. 30 with a Garoppolo offer. The Patriots’ trade-process timeline is murky, but on the 49ers end, it didn’t take long to finish this agreement.

Shanahan went to John Lynch and the duo decided to accept New England’s proposal of a second-round pick for the contract-year passer, Breer reports. Shanahan indicated to Breer he was shocked when informed Garoppolo was now available, and while he was concerned about having to make a decision about a long-term contract based on a small sample size, Lynch reassured him they would use the franchise tag to buy them time if necessary.

There really was,” Shanahan said when asked if there as a moment of shock when the Patriots called him. “We were 0–8. We’d just gotten our asses kicked by Philly. I came in on a Monday and that was the last thing I was thinking about. And that ended up popping up. It’s different, because it’s a big deal; we want those draft picks. We know have a ways to go; we want to build this organization the right way. And what worried me was having to decide long-term on a guy in just a few games.”

The 49ers did not need to use their contingency plan, signing Garoppolo to a record five-year, $137MM extension. The Patriots’ about-face on Garoppolo ended up being a franchise-changing moment for the 49ers, who may not have been as quick to match a Browns would-be offer of the Texans’ first-round pick. But Cleveland did not have a chance to deal for Garoppolo during the small time window he was available, with the call coming to Shanahan and the first-year San Francisco power structure deciding in minutes to pull the trigger.

Shanahan’s Cousins exploration did not deter a Garoppolo deal, with the 49ers having moved on after their new quarterback’s 5-0 start. But they were interested in Cousins last offseason. Now that Cousins is expected to be available, the 49ers are set at sports’ marquee position.

The now-second-year HC, however, told Breer they hadn’t closed the door on Cousins even after trading for Garoppolo. This extension will close the door on the Cousins-to-San Francisco rumors, likely for good.

Yeah, of course, it was there,” Shanahan told Breer about the franchise’s Cousins interest after the Garoppolo trade. “Everyone knows how I feel about Kirk. And for anybody who knows how I feel about Kirk, I think this shows how I feel about Jimmy, the fact that we ended up doing this. I’m not a guy who’s going to get excited and just go with the momentum, at all. I usually do the opposite, question it to make sure I’m absolutely confident, and not go with the momentum or the excitement.

Talking about Kirk, understanding where he could be in the next year, for me to feel this way about Jimmy? It says a lot about Jimmy.”

QB Notes: Cousins, Rodgers, Boykin

Following his arrest in March of last year, charges have been dropped against Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin, reports Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. The 24-year-old was arrested for “for possession of more than two ounces of marijuana and public intoxication” following an incident outside a Dallas bar.

The former TCU standout spent his rookie season serving as Russell Wilson‘s backup, completing 13 of 18 pass attempts for 145 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Following the team’s acquisition of Austin Davis, Boykin spent the 2017 campaign on the practice squad. He was inked to a futures contract in January.

Let’s take a look at some other quarterback notes from around the NFL…

  • Following Jimmy Garoppolo‘s new contract with the 49ers, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio took a look at the quarterbacks who are next in line for a big payday. The writer lists Kirk Cousins, Drew Brees, and Matt Ryan atop his list, followed by a trio of Vikings signal-callers (Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater). A.J. McCarron and Aaron Rodgers, who Florio believes may want to trump Garoppolo’s average annual salary, round out the list.
  • As the salary cap continues to rise, so do quarterback salaries, and Florio wonders if Cousins will become the first signal-caller to tie his contract compensation to cap percentage. The writer notes that the CBA permits this strategy, and he adds that cap percentage is already used for the “various baseline franchise tenders.” Cousins previously tried to get a similar contract from the Redskins (to no avail), and Florio believes he’s the free agent who’s in the best position to pull it off this offseason.
  • Meanwhile, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano believes Cousins is line for an “unprecedented” contract, noting that only a pair of “top-level” quarterbacks (Brees in 2006 and Peyton Manning in 2012) have become unrestricted free agents. The writer doesn’t believe the Redskins will ultimately franchise Cousins for the third straight season, adding that few teams would give anything of value for that type of deal in a trade. Ultimately, the franchise would receive a third-rounder for compensation if Cousins walked, and that could prove to be the ideal route.

East Rumors: Patriots, Cousins, Giants, Foles

Will Rob Gronkowski retire this offseason? The tight end hinted at the possibility following the Patriots‘ Super Bowl loss, but head coach Bill Belichick isn’t panicking.

At the end of every season, every person goes through somewhat of a process at the end of the season and then the following season,” Belichick said (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com). “I think everyone that is involved in a NFL season, you get pretty drained especially after a season like this. [You] go through the end of the year process. The following year is the following year. It’s the same for everybody. I certainly can’t speak for anybody else.

You’d have to ask any individual for every situation, but I would say five minutes after the game, or the day after the game is not really the time to make those decisions.

Gronkowski maxed out his incentive-laden 2017 contract by returning to first-team All-Pro status, the fourth time he’s done so in his eight-year career. Only Tony Gonzalez (six) earned more first-team All-Pro distinctions. Gronk will turn 29 in May and still has two seasons remaining on his extension signed back in 2012. He’s set to earn $8MM in base salary in 2018 and take up $10.91MM of the Patriots’ cap.

Here’s more from the AFC champions and the latest from the NFC East.

  • Take this with a grain of salt, but Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels told reporters that he will not address whether he’s going to join the Colts as their new head coach or stay in New England as their offensive coordinator (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN). A report emerged during Super Bowl LII that McDaniels was considering backing out of his unofficial Indianapolis agreement.
  • Redskins president Bruce Allen has been speaking to rival executives about possibly tagging Kirk Cousins, but they don’t see the logic in doing that, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. The feeling around the league, La Canfora says, is that consideration of the tag feels overly personal. As PFR’s Rory Parks explained over the weekend, tagging and trading Cousins could wind up backfiring hard on the team.
  • The Giants are planning to hire two more assistants for Pat Shurmur‘s first staff. Deshea Townsend and Ben Wilkerson will be joining the staff as assistant defensive backs coach and assistant offensive line coach, respectively, Alex Marvez of the Sporting News reports. A 13-year NFL veteran corner, Townsend served as the Titans’ DBs coach during Mike Mularkey‘s two-year run. Wilkerson spent the past three seasons on John Fox‘s Bears staff.
  • Carson Wentz‘s severe knee injuries would make the Eagles “fools” to trade Nick Foles now, especially considering what Jimmy Garoppolo fetched in a trade in October, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes. Signed to just a two-year, $11MM deal, Foles could serve as an elite insurance policy while Wentz recovers. While the Super Bowl champions’ franchise quarterback is hopeful to return in time for the start of the 2018 season, the December setback could leave him on the shelf going into training camp.
  • Conversely, the Eagles’ lack of a second- or third-round pick in next year’s draft could make acquiring a second-rounder more important than keeping Foles while Wentz recovers, Les Bowen of Philly.com writes. Foles’ previous shortcomings as a starter should give teams pause, but his 72 percent playoff completion rate this year was third in NFL history — behind only Joe Montana (1989) and Troy Aikman (1993) — for a player with at least 75 throws. And his stock will probably never be higher. The 29-year-old passer would be an interesting name on an already complex QB market.

Zach Links contributed to this report.

Redskins To Franchise Tag Kirk Cousins?

After the Redskins acquired Alex Smith and signed him to an extension, rumors and speculation as to where Kirk Cousins — who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March — would sign started to ramp up. The Broncos were most recently reported to be the frontrunners for Cousins’ services, but if Denver (or any other team) wants him, they may have to pony up more than cash. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Washington might still put the franchise tag on Cousins and then trade him to the highest bidder.

Kirk Cousins (vertical)

Mike Jones of USA Today confirms (via Twitter) that the Redskins have indeed had internal discussions about going this route. Of course, Cousins could still have a major say in where he ends up, even if he does not become a true unrestricted free agent. For instance, Cousins could delay signing the franchise tender for weeks or months, thereby forcing Washington to carry the $34.5MM franchise tag number against its salary cap. Cousins cannot be traded if he does not sign the tender.

Similarly, Cousins could tell any potential trade partner that he is unwilling to sign a long-term deal with that club, which would obviously make that potential partner wary of surrendering draft picks to acquire the 29-year-old passer. Also, if the Redskins were to put the tag on Cousins only to remove it later, they would lose the right to recover a 2019 compensatory pick, which they would get if Cousins were able to leave right away as a free agent.

In any event, the already drawn-out Cousins saga just got another twist. Teams can begin designating franchise players on February 20.

Cousins Rumors: Broncos, Bills, Jags, Cards

While this stance didn’t come during an actual interview, Kirk Cousins let it be known he would enjoy being courted by the Broncos. The seventh-year quarterback said in passing during Super Bowl week (via Mike Klis of 9News) he would “love it” if Denver shows interest. This figures to be the case, with the Broncos being mentioned as a prime Cousins candidate. Bovada lists the Broncos as the favorites to land Cousins, with the Jets running second early in the pursuit (Twitter link, via Klis). It’s not certain either of these teams will pursue the 29-year-old passer, but it seems likely. These teams hold picks five and six in the draft, so the loser — should this race come down to Denver or New York — would be very much in play for one of the rookie quarterbacks expected to go in the top 10.

Here’s the latest from the Cousins market.

  • Bovada lists the Jaguars well in the darkhorse group for Cousins. Despite the team almost certainly standing to upgrade with Cousins, Blake Bortles looks like Jacksonville’s quarterback in 2018. The Jaguars’ decision to put off the fifth-year player’s wrist surgery until late January of this year, when it could have been scheduled during the 2017 offseason, looks to have the parties stuck together. Bortles must pass a physical for the Jags to be free of his $19MM fifth-year option, and NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal writes this surgery “all but guarantees” Bortles will be on the Jags’ roster next season.
  • The Jags made their Bortles decision before it was a certainty Cousins would be available, and if he were to be able to pass a physical, Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com writes the team could afford the six-year Redskins quarterback. Cuts of Allen Hurns and Chris Ivory would create more than $10MM in cap space, and a Bortles release would free up $19MM more. Adding nearly $30MM to the Jags’ current uncommitted cap portion ($16.9MM) would give them plenty of ammo for this pursuit — even if it lags well behind the Jets’ or Browns’ offseason allotments.
  • Coming off a playoff berth themselves, the Bills could afford Cousins’ potentially historic price tag, but Brandon Beane‘s draft-heavy mission statement upon taking the GM job may make a contract of this magnitude unrealistic, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com writes. In taking the Buffalo job in May, Beane said he would build through the draft and added, “You’re not going to see big splashes of free agency.” Any Cousins deal would qualify as one of the biggest splashes in free agency history, so the Bills might not be serious buyers.
  • With less than $10MM in current projected cap space, the Cardinals would have to rearrange their payroll more than any other top suitor to chase Cousins. And after back-to-back playoff absences, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap writes the Cards’ realistic contention window is likely closed with this nucleus. He adds that even if the Cardinals are committed to keeping this core together for another run at a 2015-like season, Sam Bradford or another bridge quarterback would make more sense than a long-term Cousins commitment.
  • The Redskins‘ previous trades for veteran quarterbacks did not produce what the franchise envisioned, John Keim of ESPN.com writes. Although Brad Johnson (acquired for first-, second- and third-round picks in 1999) and Mark Brunell (via third-rounder in 2004) elevated Washington to the divisional round on one occasion apiece, matching Washington’s best playoff showings since its 1991 Super Bowl title, they did not provide long-term stability. The team’s Donovan McNabb trade (for second- and fourth-round picks) in 2010 was the least successful of these maneuvers.

North Notes: Browns, Bengals, Barr, Bears

The latest of many updates regarding the Browns‘ preference for their No. 1 pick runs indicates John Dorsey may have an issue with Baker Mayfield‘s height. While it’s uncertain if the Heisman Trophy winner’s 6-foot frame will be a deal-breaker, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports hears from a source close to the Browns the new Cleveland GM prefers size in quarterbacks (Twitter link). That and off-field baggage will work against Mayfield, who is slotted by most as a high first-round performer but someone who won’t likely be the Browns’ choice. Hue Jackson‘s on the same page about the size issueRobinson previously reported Dorsey, though, is a fan of Mayfield’s competitive streak and was zeroing in on he or USC’s Sam Darnold. ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Josh Allen going to the Browns at No. 1, and Josh Rosen is generally regarded as the readiest pro prospect. So, the Browns — who wanted Alex Smith to mentor their to-be-determined prospect — will have a complex decision to make.

Here’s the latest from the North divisions.

  • Now that the Browns missed out on another trade target, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer mentions Kirk Cousins will warrant consideration. The Browns were planning on signing or trading for a bridge quarterback while their No. 1 pick learns but now could be in the Cousins mix. However, Cleveland’s status after two historically woeful years could derail this. Cousins has said he’s going to value a winning situation, and the Browns are about the furthest thing away from being classified as such. It would seem odd a team that’s at this stage of the rebuilding process would consider Cousins rather than a rookie, but the Browns ($100MM-plus in space) have the money to enter the fray. Cabot notes the Browns will likely know if they’ll have a shot at Cousins before the tampering period begins, and if he’s not interested, they will move on to bridge-type veterans, mentioning Chase Daniel or a Josh McCown reunion as options.
  • Like everyone else in the stellar 2014 first-round class, Anthony Barr is still attached to his rookie contract. However, the Vikings outside linebacker wants to sign an extension, and Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press notes the team is expected to try to sign Barr by the time training camp opens. “I love it here,” Barr said, via Tomasson. “Absolutely. I really love my teammates. I really love this team. I love the city. I could see myself being here for the future.” Jamie Collins‘ $12.5MM-per-year pact paces 4-3 outside ‘backers presently, but Barr could poised to (sorry) raise the bar here. No other player in this role makes more per year than Telvin Smith‘s $11.1MM pact, so it’s a near-certainty Barr’s re-up will come in above that. The Vikings extended Xavier Rhodes, Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen in 2017. A Barr agreement would be logical to follow this offseason.
  • Former Lions center Dominic Raiola played the Bears on numerous occasions. Chicago will now dip into the family for coaching help, hiring younger brother Donovan Raiola to be its assistant offensive line coach, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Donovan Raiola worked under new Bears O-line boss Harry Hiestand at Notre Dame.
  • Clint Boling took some snaps at left tackle last season, and Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer notes the Bengals could consider that for the future — even if he’s merely the backup tackle. Boling has been the Bengals’ left guard for six seasons. At right guard, Cincinnati liked what it saw from its young options will likely turn to either Alex Redmond, a 2016 UDFA, or Christian Westerman, a 2016 fifth-rounder, in 2018, per Dehner.

Broncos To Enter Kirk Cousins Sweepstakes?

Kirk Cousins said on multiple occasions how critical a team’s competitive situation would be to his free agency decision, and given the talent remaining from the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 title, they fit this profile better than some of Cousins’ top expected suitors despite their 5-11 2017 performance.

The Broncos are ready to enter the market for a veteran or rookie quarterback, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com notes, having made that decision after quarterback play did the most to sink their ’17 slate. But Robinson adds the Broncos’ veteran-heavy roster would gel with a pursuit of a veteran. Robinson tabs the Broncos as making more sense for Cousins than the Jets, Browns, Cardinals and even Jaguars, who are strongly considering retaining Blake Bortles.

And the most successful coach in Broncos history’s assessment of Cousins will impact John Elway‘s decision here. Robinson writes Mike Shanahan has made it known to Elway and Gary Kubiak he believes Cousins is a special player who’s been limited by some Redskins shortcomings, and the Broncos will lend weight to their former HC/de facto GM’s endorsement. Robinson adds that veteran backing for a free agent quarterback signing exists. Some, like linebacker Brandon Marshall, have offered effusive praise for Cousins while he was still under contract with Washington.

The current Broncos centerpiece gave a strong Cousins endorsement as well, doing so after praising him following Washington’s Week 16 win over Denver.

He knows exactly how I feel about Kirk Cousins and what he’d mean to our team,” Von Miller said when asked about Cousins on The Dan Patrick Show (video link). “And what he would mean to a lot of other teams. He’s the hot quarterback on the market right now. … Yeah, we need Kirk. We need Kirk. I’d like to have Kirk. We have great quarterbacks now. Kirk could take us over the edge.”

While Cousins could command a deal possibly north of Matthew Stafford‘s NFL-record $27MM-AAV agreement, Robinson notes the possibility of a slight compromise for a winning team is in play. A “good team” would be able to get a deal done with Cousins for $24-$25MM per year with heavy guarantees, Robinson writes. Cousins said during an appearance on PFT Live he was “willing to make sacrifices” to be in the best position to win. Although considering a soon-to-be 34-year-old Alex Smith received a $23.5MM-per-year accord from the Redskins, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Cousins barely eclipsing that may be difficult to envision given his opportunity.

The Broncos have Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch under contract, but Robinson makes it clear they’re in the market for an upgrade. And the quarterback they prefer in the draft is not expected to be there at No. 5. Robinson reports Elway and Kubiak view Josh Rosen as having the most best most refined passing motion in the draft, adding it would be a lock the Broncos would take the UCLA product at 5 if he were still on the board. Rosen, though, is projected to go to the Browns at No. 1 or Giants at No. 2 on most mock drafts.

Should the Broncos not land Cousins, and the Vikings tag Case Keenum, Mike Klis of 9News reports notes they will pursue a stopgap quarterback and prepare to draft a rookie at No. 5. Dominoes still exist in a complex marketplace, but it’s fairly clear the Broncos will strongly consider Cousins before turning to the draft.

Kirk Cousins On Free Agency Approach

The events of Tuesday night moved Kirk Cousins into relatively foreign territory — for himself and the NFL.

A franchise quarterback in his prime without injury issues is now pointed toward free agency. The 29-year-old passer will be pursued by several teams, including some who missed out on the Alex Smith sweepstakes. It could take a record contract to land the seventh-year signal-caller.

But after banking more than $44MM over the past two seasons through Redskins franchise tags, Cousins said a team’s competitive window will play heavily into his thought process.

Winning is everything, especially at this stage of my career,” Cousins said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “I’m going into Year 7. Because I’ve been franchise-tagged twice, it’s not about the money so much. It’s about winning. I want to win. This isn’t the NBA. You can’t just get one player and now you’re in the AFC championship game or NFC championship game. There are other pieces that come into play.”

Expanding on his desire to land in a winning situation after starting just one playoff game in his career, Cousins said a team’s coaching staff, GM and offensive system and personnel will be “huge” factors during his process.

Who am I throwing to? Who’s protecting? What’s the depth chart look like?” Cousins said, via Cimini. “It’s so multifaceted. It’s going to be a really interesting process to gather those facts. I haven’t had the opportunity to gather that research. Until then, I’m going to keep an open mind and see what’s out there.”

While many free agents sign in the frenzied first several hours of the league year opening without taking visits, Cousins hinted he may go through a meet-and-greet process. Peyton Manning was thorough during his 2012 tour, traveling to several teams before deciding on the Broncos, who, interestingly, are almost certainly going to be part of the Cousins derby as well.

Well, that will be uncharted territory for me,” Cousins said, via Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com, just before learning he will have a chance to test free agency. “I haven’t been there before. So I don’t know what that process looks like at all to this point. That would be my first time going through it.

“But I want to win. I’ll make sure that any fact-gathering that I do, or business that I take, or coaches that I meet – it’ll all be centered on do I feel like this is a place where I can win, or we can win? That’s what it’ll all boil down to.”

Redskins, Kirk Cousins Haven’t Talked

Even before the Redskins traded for Alex Smith, Kirk Cousins probably sensed that he wouldn’t be back in Washington next year. Cousins and the Redskins haven’t had any contact since the regular season ended, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Of course, now that the Redskins have acquired Smith and extended him, they’ll be going their separate ways. Kirk Cousins

The Cousins saga will go down as one of the strangest storylines in Redskins franchise history. Cousins fully emerged from Robert Griffin III’s shadow in 2015 and led the team to the NFC East title. Unwilling to commit to Cousins in the long term, the Redskins used the non-exclusive franchise tag to retain him on a one-year, $20MM deal. In 2016, Cousins placed third in the NFL with 4,917 passing yards, but the Redskins were still unwilling to give him a fair market value contract and tagged him for a second consecutive year. This time around, the Redskins punted rather than offering Cousins a top-tier contract or tagging him for a third time at a cost of $34.47MM.

Finally, Cousins will reach the open market as an unfettered free agent. QB-needy teams flush with cash like the Browns, Jets, and Broncos will be eager to speak with Cousins in March and some club out there make Cousins an even richer man with a four or five-year deal. In time, the Redskins may come to regret their course of action with the 29-year-old.