A major deadline is fast approaching for Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, and Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. If the three franchise-tagged players do not sign an extension with their respective clubs by 4pm ET/3pm CT, they will play out the season on a one-year tender and will not be able to reignite long-term talks until January.
So far, there hasn’t been significant movement towards a deal for any of the three players in question, though Bell is more likely to sign a multi-year pact than the other two. Then again, after last year’s deadline brought us a surprise accord between the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson, nothing can be ruled out.
The Redskins have slowly upped their offer to Cousins over the last year, but a major gulf still divides the two parties. Cousins’ agent is said to be seeking $24MM annually on a new deal, a number reflective of his ~$24MM tender for 2017. The Redskins, meanwhile, have only offered $20MM per season on a five-year pact. The proposal, which was made back in May, only truly guarantees the first two years for Cousins, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. When considering the gap in dollars and the possibility that Cousins would rather be somewhere else long-term, it seems likely that the QB will play out the year on his tender.
On Monday morning, we heard that there was nothing imminent between the Steelers and Bell. Still, a long-term deal makes plenty of sense for both sides. Bell’s camp is aware of the injury risk that running backs carry and they would certainly forego some upside in favor of security. The Steelers, on the other hand, do not want to chance having to cuff Bell with a one-year, $14MM repeat franchise tender next offseason. Even though there hasn’t been a lot of reported progress on a deal in recent weeks, this one feels too logical not to happen.
On the flipside, it would be a shock to see the Rams and Johnson shake hands on a deal this afternoon. Johnson believes that he could be paid like a top cornerback on the open market next spring and unless he turns in a historically spectacular season, there’s little chance that the Rams will tag him for a third straight year at $20MM. Instead, Johnson will happily play out the year for $16.742MM and worry about his future next offseason.
Jones notes an extension by Monday is unlikely, but the Redskins reporter adds the price changed over the past year — with the franchise tag’s value having plenty to do with it. Now that Cousins is set to earn a guaranteed $23.94MM on a second tag, agent Mike McCartney set the starting point for a long-term Washington deal at $24MM annually. The Redskins were not ready to meet that demand. However, Redskins brass upped their offer considerably over the past year.
ESPN’s John Keim reported Cousins received an initial proposal of a middling $12MM-per-year salary before seeing a $16MM-AAV offer come his way last year. With Cousins’ 2016 tag giving him a $19.9MM salary, McCartney’s demand last year hovered around $20MM per year. But Washington “bristled” at that demand last year, per Jones. Interestingly, the Redskins were ready to pay $20MM annually this year, submitting a five-year, $100MM offer to Cousins.
But with the tag price going up and the $25MM-per-year cost of Derek Carr‘s deal (and Matthew Stafford‘s expected pact anticipated to be north of that), $20MM AAV was no longer satisfactory, leading to the 2017 impasse.
Jones adds that for the Redskins to sign Cousins, a deal worth around $28MM per year — which would be the transition tag amount, should Washington go that route — would need to be committed. (No NFL player has ever signed for more than $25MM per year.) Guarantees at signing for said agreement would need to be $52-$58MM and additional guarantees of between $30-$35MM. Carr signed for $40MM guaranteed at signing, with $30MM more in total guarantees. The Redskins have not been willing to authorize this kind of a pact for Cousins.
Jones reports Cousins has told some he would like to test free agency to see what is out there for him. He will turn 30 by the time he would be set to play for the 2018 Redskins or another team, but with franchise-level passers never reaching that stage, Cousins would surely be in demand.
After Monday, Cousins’ price should go up again because of the costs associated with another one-year rental in 2018. A franchise tag would cost more than $34MM in 2018, and the Lions and Falcons potentially set to raise the per-year salary bar for Stafford and Matt Ryan, respectively, quarterbacks will soon be in line to command more.
That said, Cousins lost two 1,000-yard receivers in Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, and the architect of the offenses that enabled him to establish new Redskins single-season benchmarks is also gone. Without his wideouts or Sean McVay, Cousins may have tougher sledding in matching the kind of seasons he posted under the previous setup. But barring a massive regression, the quarterback’s asking prices probably won’t plummet considerably.
The latest coming out of the Kirk Cousins/Redskins impasse isn’t necessarily surprising based on the events of recent weeks, or the past two summers, for that matter. But ESPN’s Adam Schefter added a wrinkle to the proceedings on Sunday.
Schefter reports (on Twitter) Cousins is not expected to sign an extension with the Redskins by 3pm CT Monday. However, the sixth-year quarterback is open to doing so after this season.
Washington would again retain exclusive negotiating rights with the passer in between this season and the 2018 free agency period, and the recent improved tone of the talks may work in the team’s favor. The discussions have taken on a more constructive nature, per Schefter, but the soon-to-be 29-year-old Cousins still wants to play this season on the tag. He stands to make $23.94MM if so. He will total just more than $44MM over the past two years based on this arrangement.
The development in Cousins’ talks with Washington brass represents hope for a long-term union after one previously didn’t exist, with ESPN.com’s John Keim reporting (on Twitter) the vibe changed over the past few months. Cousins assumed he would be done in D.C. after 2017 as recently as this spring, but Keim reports a long-term agreement between the parties is in play come 2018.
Should the sides fail to strike a deal, one that Schefter notes isn’t completely out of the question, Cousins will be the first quarterback in NFL history to play two consecutive seasons on the tag. A third tag would cost the franchise $34.478MM, with the lesser-used transition tag amount coming to $28.732MM. The latter figure could prompt another team with more cap space to prepare an offer sheet for Cousins designed to make it difficult for the Redskins to match, so the franchise tag would seem the likelier scenario if this goes all the way to next March.
Keim noted earlier this week Cousins’ side is using the quarterback’s potential free agency — and possible full guarantee north of $50MM — as leverage. The team isn’t willing to, at this juncture, offer nearly that much, Keim reports. Cousins could be in position to easily surpass the $50MM guaranteed come March, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets.
He adds that it’s uncertain if the Redskins have submitted a better offer than their five-year, $100MM proposal that leaked earlier this offseason. Low-ball offers of $12MM and $16MM per year irritated the Cousins camp after the 2015 season, but it looks like the sides are closer together as of now. Of course, the Redskins have a murkier front office future as well, further complicating this situation.
Kirk Cousins‘ second franchise tag impasse is dominating the NFC East headlines this July as well. The Redskins quarterback’s decision to sign his franchise tenders early and a willingness to accept this year-to-year setup has benefited him financially, Bucky Brooks of NFL.com writes. Noting Washington brass was right to question his legitimacy after the 2015 season — one that saw him finish strong after compiling a middling resume to that point — Brooks also points out how well this has worked out for Cousins. He received nearly $20MM last season, despite former GM Scot McCloughan reportedly being leery of that annual price, and now has a guaranteed $23.94MM salary. That said, one NFC scouting director understands the Redskins’ hesitance.
“He is what he is,” an NFC pro scouting director said, via Brooks. “He is a solid starter capable of winning games when surrounded by supreme talent in that system, but I don’t think he is a difference-maker. … I would have a tough time paying $25 million for a guy that I don’t believe can carry us to the Super Bowl.”
Cousins, though, enters his age-29 season in position to complete a two-year, $44MM deal of sorts. And by Year 3 of this post-rookie-contract arrangement, Cousins could be in position to total $72MM or $78MM — on a transition or third franchise tag. Hitting the open market would obviously be a lucrative proposition as well, given the supply-and-demand crisis at this position.
Here’s the latest out of the NFC East.
The Eagles discussed the prospect of moving second-year cornerback Jalen Mills to safety, Geoff Mosher of FanRag Sports reports. Mills stayed at corner during offseason workouts, playing in the slot in nickel sets. The former LSU talent played both corner and safety in Baton Rouge, La. But Mosher adds the team appears to view its outside corner tandem of the future as Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones. Given those two are each rookies, with Jones potentially out for the season, it might be a bit early for those plans. But said blueprint would help explain Mills being stationed in the slot and discussed for a possible safety transition.
One ESPN NFL insider tabbed Dak Prescott as being in position to become the league’s best quarterback in five years, with Mike Sando (via the Dallas Morning News) projecting the offensive rookie of the year to ascend to that perch. ESPN’s Dan Graziano placed the Cowboys in the position to have the most success over the next five years, citing Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and an offensive line that’s been the best in the game over the past few seasons.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie viewing Carson Wentz as a special talent raises the stakes for Doug Pederson, Tim McManus of ESPN.com notes in a summary explaining why the Philadelphia HC is his pick for NFC East presence on the hottest seat. Pederson being merely a second-year coach would seemingly point him toward a third season at least, but McManus writes another 7-9 season won’t be acceptable for an owner antsy to see his franchise back in the playoff discussion. With Wentz in his second season and Alshon Jeffery being added to the mix, the Eagles offense looks to be in better position to help the team challenge for a playoff perch.
Redskins bigwigs are at loggerheads over franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ long-term value, which isn’t anything new. Entering the 2015 season, Cousins’ first as a starter, now-former Washington general manager Scot McCloughan wanted to sign the then-unproven passer to a contract extension worth around $12MM per year. However, the GM’s bosses in the front office declined, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report. Then, after Cousins broke out that season, the signal-caller’s price rose to $20MM per annum – a figure with which McCloughan was “uncomfortable” (Twitterlinks).
Plenty more on Cousins as the Monday deadline for the Redskins to ink him to a multiyear deal approaches:
The Associated Press profiles Redskins senior vice president of football operations/general counsel Eric Schaffer, a key figure in their contract talks with Cousins. A former assistant of famed agent Tom Condon, Schaffer has worked his way up the Washington pecking order since his hiring 15 years ago and has earned the trust of those above him in the team’s front office. That includes senior vice president of player personnel Doug Williams, who told the AP: “Nobody takes notes like Eric Schaffer. I bet he can tell you the first word I said four years ago. That’s who Eric Schaffer is. That’s how important he is.” Schaffer has also gained the respect of Cousins, who noted: “This isn’t his first rodeo. I have a lot of faith in him not only in handling my situation, but when my situation is handled, handling everybody else’s. I have faith in that. But make no mistake: There are titles ahead of him.” Those “titles” belong to owner Dan Snyder, president Bruce Allen and Williams, all of whom are above Schaffer in the team’s hierarchy.
Placing the franchise tag on Cousins again for a third straight year in 2018 would cost the Redskins over $34MM, making it an unlikely option. At around $28MM, the transition tag seems like a more realistic path, and JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic observes that the Redskins would have more than enough room to fit that under their cap (though rollover amounts could pose a problem). Of course, making Cousins a transition player wouldn’t entitle the team to any compensation if he were to sign elsewhere. The Redskins would have the right to match a Cousins offer from another club, though.
The 49ers’ future under center could hinge on whether the Redskins are able to lock up Cousins, opines Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. The Niners entered the current offseason lacking under center, yet they just made modest free agent acquisitions (Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley) and only used a third-rounder on the position in the draft, taking C.J. Beathard. Without an obvious long-term answer at QB, the 49ers figure to chase Cousins in 2018 if he hits free agency, especially considering they have a Cousins fan in head coach/ex-Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and will possess a boatload of cap space next winter.
We have a new management structure in Washington, but it appears that everyone is not on the same page. With days to go before the extension deadline, there is internal disagreement over Kirk Cousins’ true value, a source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The top decision makers in D.C. have not been aligned on Cousins’ value for years now. In 2015, Jay Gruden had to slug it out with the front office to have Cousins slotted in as the team’s No. 1 quarterback over Robert Griffin III. Heading into the 2016 season, the Redskins missed on an opportunity to sign Cousins to a relatively reasonable multi-year deal, opting instead for the softer commitment of a one-year franchise tender. This time around, Cousins has grounds to become the league’s highest-paid player and management is split on the best course of action.
The Redskins are looking to lock up Kirk Cousins beyond his one-year, ~$24MM deal, but they are doing so with the knowledge that they can also retain him in 2018 via the transition tag or the franchise tag. The $28MM transition tag would be the cheapest option, but it would not disincentivize teams from signing Cousins to an offer sheet, nor would it give the Redskins any compensation if they choose not to match.
In fact, the transition tag might not be a viable option for the Redskins at all. Two GMs tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) they believe some team out there would use a mammoth roster bonus on Cousins in 2018 to make it hard for the Redskins to match.
Between next year’s projected cap increase and the insane amount of rollover possessed by some teams, it could be very difficult for the Redskins to yank Cousins back after applying the transition tag. The 49ers, who have been connected to Cousins for some time now, will be rolling over nearly $67MM in cap space for 2018. The Browns and Jaguars, two more teams with serious question marks under center, will be rolling over $50MM and $44MM, respectively. The Redskins project to have $54.7MM cap room in 2018, but their rollover amounts will pale in comparison to those clubs and others, putting them at a relative disadvantage.
The Redskins’ only viable approach next offseason might be to use franchise tag. With the exclusive tag, the Redskins can keep teams away from the quarterback and guarantee that he will be in the building for the 2018 season. By using the non-exclusive franchise tag, the Redskins will have the first right of refusal and, if they decline to match an offer sheet, they will be entitled to two first-round picks from the team that signs him. In either case, they’re looking at a one-year, $34MM tender.
Cousins’ camp is well aware of the available cap room that will be out there in 2018 and that is certainly having an impact on negotiations. It has been suggested that a full guarantee of $52MM – the combined value of this year’s franchise tag and next year’s transition tag – could be the floor for talks. Instead, Cousins’ team could be pushing for upwards of $58MM guaranteed at signing, plus aggressive cash flow to give Cousins 70% or more of his money in the first three years of the pact.
If the two sides cannot reach agreement by Monday, they will not be allowed to discuss an extension until after the 2017 season. Right now, an accord seems unlikely.
The Vikingshave backed wide receiver Michael Floyd since he violated his probation by testing positive for alcohol last month, after which he insisted that he unknowingly ingested it when drinking kombucha tea. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer spoke about Floyd’s situation Thursday, telling Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press: “Do I believe it? I don’t know how much tea he drank. I have no clue. I don’t have any doubt why there’d be skepticism, but he told me that he wasn’t (drinking). That it was legit.” Zimmer buys Floyd’s story, but he did issue the wideout a warning when the two spoke on the phone after his failed alcohol test. “I said, ‘If I find out you’re lying to me, I’m going to cut you,’ ” revealed Zimmer, whose team will go without Floyd early in the season because of a forthcoming suspension.
A bit more from the NFC:
Both the Redskins and Kirk Cousinsare reportedly OK with the quarterback playing 2017 under the franchise tag, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders if the club will nonetheless make him a last-ditch offer by Monday’s deadline. The expectation is that Cousins will need at least $52MM in guarantees in order to sign a long-term pact, though Florio suggests that something between that figure and the $40MM the Raiders gave Derek Carr could get Cousins to bite. If Cousins says no, the Redskins could leak the details of the offer and make him “seem greedy and selfish,” writes Florio.
Thurston Armbrister is among Lions linebackers with an on-the-bubble status entering training camp, writes Tim Twentyman of the team’s website. Armbrister wasn’t much of a factor on defense in 2016, his first season as a Lion, as the ex-Jaguar only played 63 snaps and made nine tackles in 14 appearances. However, he was one of Detroit’s key special teamers, racking up the fourth-most snaps (260) for a unit that Football Outsiders ranked as the sixth best in the NFL.
Earlier Thursday, PFR reviewed the offseasons of two NFC teams, the Giants and Eagles.
With five days to go until the deadline for teams to sign franchise tagged players to extensions, there apparently hasn’t been a ton of progress for any of the three players in question. Still, we’ve had some mid-July surprises in the past, like last year’s last minute extension for Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. Here’s a quick refresher on where things stand for Kirk Cousins, Le’Veon Bell, and Trumaine Johnson:
Kirk Cousins
There has been no movement towards a deal for the Redskins and Cousins, and both sides are apparently alright with that. You know the deal by now: Cousins is looking at a $24MM salary in 2017 and the Redskins will have to give him a tender worth at least $28MM to keep him away from unrestricted free agency next season. Cousins is confident in his abilities and eager to push the market for quarterbacks, so he is not all that inclined to sign a multi-year deal.
Cousins’ agent probably won’t consider any offer with less than $52MM guaranteed. If his camp really wants to drive a hard bargain, it will insist on a minimum $58MM in the bag since that factors in the value a third franchise tag in 2018 ($34MM) rather than the $28MM transition tag, which would only give Washington the first right of refusal.
Cousins, like any player in extension talks, must weigh the benefit of cost certainty versus the upside of the open market. But, with the way quarterbacks get paid in the NFL, he is looking at a high floor. Cousins is not considered to be a top five QB, but if he were to put pen to paper today, he would be the highest-paid player in the NFL – at least for a couple of weeks. Even if Cousins has a mild regression in 2017, he’ll still be looking at either a one-year, ~$30MM deal in Washington or a $100MM+ deal in free agency. In order for the soon-to-be 29-year-old to sign, he’ll either have to be wowed by an offer or he’ll have to catch a case of cold feet in the coming days.
Le’Veon Bell
Bell, by any measure, is one of the very best running backs in the NFL. In a suspension-shortened 2016 season, Bell earned his second career trip to the Pro Bowl as he ran for 1,268 yrds off of 261 carries, mirroring a career-high of 4.9 yards per attempt. He also added 75 receptions for 616 yards. When averaged out on a per-game basis, his 2016 numbers actually bested his 2014 campaign, a season in which he was a First-Team All-Pro selection. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus had Bell ranked as the third best RB in the league last season, behind only Ezekiel Elliott and David Johnson.
While there has been talk about Cousins being less-than-thrilled with Redskins management, Bell has been open about wanting to stay in Pittsburgh. The feeling is mutual as the Steelers want to keep in him in the fold for the long term. So, what’s the holdup?
Bell is probably seeking to overtake Bills star LeSean McCoy as the highest-paid running back in the NFL. The Steelers are probably willing to oblige, but, as we all know, there’s a difference between becoming the market-setter in terms of years/dollars and the true value of a deal. If Bell wants to sign a five-year deal worth more than $40MM, odds are that he could do that right now. What he’s really after, however, are substantial guarantees with significant cash flow in the first two years of the deal.
Running backs are always at a high risk of injury and teams are typically adversed to paying out real dollars for them on multi-year deals, even if the cases of exceptional players like Bell. The Steelers are hoping to find a happy medium with Bell in the coming days since his $12MM price tag for this year is high and a potential $14MM tag for 2018 is spit take worthy.
Trumaine Johnson
Like Cousins, this is the second year in a row that Johnson has been hit with the franchise tag. Where the situations differ is that there is zero chance the Rams will apply the tag to Johnson for a third year in a row. If Johnson plays out the year on his one-year, $17MM tender, he’ll hit unrestricted free agency at the age of 28 because there’s virtually no chance that the Rams would tag him at upwards of $24MM in 2018.
Johnson has yet to establish himself as an elite cornerback, but this would be the time to do it as he enters a contract year. The Rams’ strong front seven should keep opposing quarterbacks under duress, allowing Johnson to swarm receivers on immature routes. It appears that Johnson has little incentive to sign a long-term deal here, unless the Rams are willing to make a cap-crippling commitment.
Which of these three players, if any, will sign extensions before the deadline on Monday? Cast your vote below and back up your choice in the comment section.
Barring something unforeseen, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins will play out the 2017 season on his one-year tender. That’s just fine with both Cousins and the team, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears.
The Redskins, of course, have put themselves in a tough position by not signing Cousins to a more reasonable deal when they had the chance. In 2018, Cousins could become the best quarterback to reach the open market in recent memory and the only way the Redskins can stop him is by applying the $28MM transition tag on him or a third consecutive franchise tag at $34MM. The Redskins are facing a very delicate public relations situation here and the best way to save face, at the moment, is for them to act as though they are comfortable with the year-to-year-arrangement.
“Yes,”said Redskins president Bruce Allen back in May asked if his club could use the franchise tag on Cousins again in 2018. “In the collective bargaining agreement, we really have one year and an option that we can do at the end of next season if we don’t get a contract.”
The deadline for the two sides to reach agreement is on Monday July 17. If they cannot shake hands on a multi-year extension, then they will not be able to sign such a deal until after the season has concluded.
