Kirk Cousins

NFC East Rumors: Cousins, Eagles, Cowboys

July 15th, 2017 at 6:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Latest On Kirk Cousins

July 14th, 2017 at 7:52pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

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” (Twitter links).

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.

Redskins Fighting Over Kirk Cousins’ Value

July 14th, 2017 at 2:28pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

Both sides are reportedly comfortable with the idea of Cousins playing out the 2017 season for $24MM. After that, the Redskins could cuff Cousins once again via the $28MM transition tag or the $34MM franchise tag. On Friday morning, we explained why the transition tag probably won’t do much for the Redskins.

Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins

July 14th, 2017 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

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.

NFC Notes: Floyd, Cousins, Lions

July 13th, 2017 at 7:48pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Vikings have 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 Cousins are 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.

Poll: Which Players Will Sign By Deadline?

July 13th, 2017 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

On Tuesday, it was reported that nothing is currently in the works for Johnson and the Rams. Things will have to change dramatically in order for Johnson to be committed to L.A. beyond 2017.

Take your pick

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.

Redskins, Cousins OK With One-Year Deal

July 13th, 2017 at 8:38am CST by Zachary Links

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.

Latest On Redskins, Kirk Cousins

July 12th, 2017 at 4:01pm CST by Zachary Links

There has been no movement on an extension between the Redskins and Kirk Cousins, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports tweets. A deal is not close and there will not be an agreement until someone budges between now and Monday, Robinson adds.

This latest report is consistent with what we’ve been hearing about talks between Cousins and the Redskins in recent weeks. As of this writing, it sounds like there won’t be extensions ironed out for Cousins, Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, or Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson. But, we have to throw in the obvious caveat – things can always change and deadlines tend to spur action.

Cousins has indicated that he is looking to reset the market on a new multi-year deal and he will not be giving the Redskins any form of a hometown discount. In fact, there are rumors that Cousins is extremely unhappy in the nation’s capital and that might mean that there is no amount of money the Redskins can offer him to get him to stay.

Redskins has been hit with the one-year, $24MM franchise tag, representing a 20% increase over the franchise tender he earned in 2016. The Redskins can conceivably retain Cousins again in 2018 with a third straight franchise tag, but that would call for a salary of $34MM. Alternatively, they could control him with the transition tag, but that would still set the Redskins back $28MM and would not entitle them to any form of compensation if he is signed away by a rival club. When considering the combined values of this year’s franchise tag ($24MM) plus the value of a transition tag next year ($28MM), Cousins’ camp must be seeking no less than $52MM in guarantees on a fresh contract.

Latest On Kirk Cousins Negotiations

July 10th, 2017 at 7:23pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins’ negotiating window with franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins is down to one week, but there have been no new developments in talks between the two sides, reports Mike Jones of the Washington Post. As such, Washington and Cousins would essentially need to “start from scratch” in order to reach a deal, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

The only positive news to come out talks between Cousins and the Redskins in recent weeks came from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, who reported in late June that an “improved tone” had enveloped negotiations between the parties. However, a contract still doesn’t appear likely, which would mean Cousins would play out the 2017 campaign while earning a fully guaranteed $23.94MM base salary.

If Washington tags Cousins again in 2018, the 28-year-old signal-caller would be entitled to a 44% raise, meaning he’d be due a salary of roughly $35MM. That fact, combined with Raiders quarterback Derek Carr‘s new five-year, $125MM extension ($40MM guaranteed), means Cousins is likely looking for a deal that averages $25-28MM with $58MM in guarantees, per Jones.

“I hired my agent to do his job,” Cousins tells Stephanie Funkhouser of FOX 17. “I gotta go play football and throw touchdown passes and help our team win. I’ve got plenty to work on there so I’ll let my agent do his job. I’ll do mine and the good news is I’m under contract for this season and in a good place.”

Redskins Notes: Cousins, Sudfeld, McCoy

July 10th, 2017 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

The latest on the Redskins:

One potential factor in Kirk Cousins‘ long-term future with the Redskins will be the birth of his first child in September, ESPN.com’s John Keim writes. Both Cousins’ family and his wife’s are on the East Coast and that could help him lean towards remaining in Washington. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t look to join up with another team like the Niners, but it could be a factor to keep him in D.C. if everything else is kosher between him and management and if a contract offer is to his liking. Still, the rumblings about Cousins being unhappy with the Redskins have only grown louder this summer. Keim still does not see the quarterback signing a new deal with the Redskins before the deadline later this month.
Rich Tandler of CSNMidAtlantic.com is confident that the Redskins will carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, meaning that Nate Sudfeld‘s job is safe. However, things may get interesting during the year if Cousins is not signed long term and the team is out of contention. In that scenario, the Redskins may want to get Sudfeld on the field to find out what they have in him. Colt McCoy, the team’s No. 2 QB, could also be a candidate to step into the starting role in 2018 if Cousins goes and he might not be thrilled about getting leapfrogged. McCoy is under contract with the team through ’18.
More from Tandler, who looks way down the road to preview the Redskins’ defensive core in the 2020 season. He has first round defensive end Jonathan Allen listed as a “blue chip” player for Washington three years down the road, alongside cornerback Josh Norman. Although Allen slid down draft boards due to concerns about his shoulders, that’s an issue that could catch up with him in five or six years, not three years, Tandler reasons. Of course, it’s a difficult exercise to project any team’s defense three years in advance and a whole lot can change between now and then.

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