Kirk Cousins

Kirk Cousins Wants Redskins To Trade Him

March 9th, 2017 at 10:43am CST by Zachary Links

After being hit with the exclusive franchise tag, Kirk Cousins is not free to negotiate with teams this week. However, he wants out. Cousins appealed personally to owner Daniel Snyder for a trade, but was told not to get his hopes up, sources tell ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen (on Twitter). Washington has shown “zero inclination” to trade Cousins, adds Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Cousins has been the subject of trade talk for some time with the 49ers often linked to him. The Redskins have been reluctant to commit to Cousins on a long-term deal, but the Niners would presumably be happy to give him the kind of monster deal he is seeking – provided that they also wouldn’t have to give up too much to acquire him via trade. The Browns, who have even more cap room than the Niners, have also been brought up as a possible landing spot.

On Wednesday, we learned that Snyder may be holding up a potential trade to San Francisco due to his bad relationship with the Shanahans, Kyle and Mike. Snyder reportedly still holds a grudge against the Shanahans after firing the pair following the 2013 campaign, per Jones, and especially dislikes that the duo’s prediction of a failed Robert Griffin III career ultimately proved true. As such, Snyder has no interest in “helping” Kyle Shanahan in any regard, including sending him a ready-made franchise quarterback in Cousins.

Ultimately, Cousins may have no choice but to sign the franchise tender and hope he can reach the 2018 free agent market unfettered. If he chooses that route, he’ll play out the 2017 campaign while earning nearly $24MM.

Daniel Snyder Blocking Kirk Cousins Trade?

March 8th, 2017 at 6:46pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Redskins haven’t given any indication they they’re willing to trade franchise-tagged quarterback Kirk Cousins to the 49ers (or any other club), and Washington may be holding onto its signal-caller thanks to owner Daniel Snyder‘s poor relationships with both Cousins and the Shanahans, Kyle and Mike, according to Kevin Jones of KNBR.

Snyder reportedly still holds a grudge against the Shanahans after firing the pair following the 2013 campaign, per Jones, and especially dislikes that the duo’s prediction of a failed Robert Griffin III career ultimately proved true. As such, Snyder has no interest in “helping” Kyle Shanahan in any regard, including sending him a ready-made franchise quarterback in Cousins.

Snyder may also possess personal animus towards Cousins, as Jones describes a “weird” relationship between the two. After Cousins won the first game of his career in 2012 filling in for an injured RGIII, Snyder reportedly refused to congratulate or even acknowledge Cousins in the locker room following the contest, according to Jones. Although Snyder has since softened his stance, a degree of tension still endures.

Cousins will make nearly $24MM in 2017 under the terms of his second consecutive franchise tag, which he has yet to sign.

Extra Points: Cooks, Ross, Davis, Cousins

March 4th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles have been connected to Brandin Cooks for some time. Eyeing the eventual Saints wide receiver in 2014 draft, Philadelphia tried to trade for the speedster before the deadline last year, Jeff McLane of Philly.com reports. Both the Eagles and Titans have been connected to the fourth-year wideout, who will have two more years left on his rookie contract after his fifth-year option is picked up. The Eagles were also connected to 49ers wideout Torrey Smith prior to the 2016 trade deadline. They did not end up making a trade, but wide receiver looms at or near the top of Philly’s wish list going into the 2017 offseason.

Here’s more from around the league.

Washington wideout prospect John Ross set NFL Twitter ablaze today by running a 4.22-second 40-yard dash. That time is now official, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. The former Huskies pass-catcher ascends to the top of the Combine 40 hierarchy. Chris Johnson‘s 4.24-second clocking in 2008 previously resided atop this list. Ross, though, was limping after the historic sprint and entered the Combine with a shoulder malady that will be addressed soon. Ross has a surgery scheduled for March 14 — three days after Washington’s pro day — according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Cole adds that Ross is expected to be ready to start his rookie season on time.
One NFL wide receivers coach likened the 5-foot-11 wideout to “a clean Tyreek Hill,” via Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Ross was already considered one of the top receiver prospects in this draft, with ESPN.com’s Todd McShay (Insider link) ranking him behind only Mike Williams and Corey Davis.
Davis expects to be ready to play by minicamp, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. The Western Michigan talent isn’t participating at the Combine due to ankle surgery. He won’t be ready to return to action by Western Michigan’s pro day.
Kirk Cousins has yet to sign his Redskins franchise tender after doing so immediately last year upon being tagged, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. Florio offers that Cousins’ wait may be in hopes of the team rescinding the tag, a la Josh Norman last year. Cousins said in January he’d sign the tag, worth $23.94MM, and Florio notes that not happening after four days shows something isn’t right. Of course, the Cousins negotiations stand to be complex this offseason, and it’s still incredibly early in this process. No other tagged performer as signed his tender yet.

49ers, Redskins, Cowboys To Discuss Cousins, Romo?

March 3rd, 2017 at 5:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

In what would be a stunning turn of events, a scenario in which the 49ers acquire quarterback Kirk Cousins from the Redskins could lead to Washington landing fellow signal-caller Tony Romo from the Cowboys, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. It would be a three-team trade that would see the Redskins send draft pick compensation to the NFC East rival Cowboys for Romo (Twitter links).

While Romo’s a longtime star and a four-time Pro Bowler, the more significant passer changing hands in this deal would be Cousins. The Redskins placed the $23.94MM exclusive franchise tag on Cousins to prevent him from negotiating with other teams, but the two sides haven’t yet come close to a long-term agreement. That might lead Washington to shop Cousins, whom it could lose in free agency next year, though the 49ers reportedly aren’t willing to both surrender a haul of draft picks and sign him to a mega-deal. The Niners own the second pick in this year’s draft and are are set to select two more times in the top 70 (Nos. 34 and 66).

For his part, the 28-year-old Cousins would welcome a trade to the 49ers, which would allow him to reunite with Kyle Shanahan. The rookie head coach has long been a Cousins fan and coached him as Washington’s offensive coordinator from 2012-13. While Cousins was a backup during that two-year span, he emerged as a high-end starter last season and is coming off a campaign in which he completed 67 percent of passes, nearly reached the 5,000-yard mark (4,917), and tossed 25 touchdowns against 12 interceptions.

Unlike Cousins, Romo has barely seen the field the past two seasons. Shoulder injuries limited the soon-to-be 37-year-old to four games in 2015, when he struggled with five TDs against seven picks, and he suffered a broken bone in his back last August and ended up attempting just four passes on the season. Romo returned in November, but wunderkind rookie Dak Prescott had usurped the starting role for good by then.

With Prescott entrenched under center, Romo will likely be on his way out of Dallas soon. If it’s via trade, he’ll still be due base salaries of $14MM, $19.5MM, $20.5MM in each of the next three seasons, but none of that money is guaranteed. As CBS Sports’ Joel Corry reported last month, any team acquiring Romo would have to take on his salary for 2017 before reworking his contract. The Cowboys, though, would likely allow that club to have contract-related discussions with Romo’s camp before the trade.

Latest On Redskins’ Talks With Kirk Cousins

March 2nd, 2017 at 1:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins and Kirk Cousins‘ camp met this week to discuss a long-term deal, but the two sides aren’t close to an agreement, sources tell Master Tesfatsion of The Washington Post (Twitter links). The Redskins were discussing a long-term deal with the quarterback worth $20MM per year, a figure that might not get the job done given his ~$24MM tag.

Meanwhile, a potential trade with the 49ers has been rumored for some time, but SF is presently unwilling to give up a boatload of draft compensation plus a hefty contract, sources tell Tesfatsion (on Twitter). Of course, that could just be posturing by GM John Lynch & Co. Ultimately, with Jimmy Garoppolo said to be off the trade market, the Niners could cave and get a deal done for Cousins.

Some say that Cousins would only cooperate with a trade to San Francisco, but other reports indicate that he would be “intrigued” by the Browns. Given the many roadblocks to a potential trade, I still believe the most likely outcome here is for Cousins to sign an extension with the Redskins between now and July. So far, however, the Redskins have been reluctant to pay him like a top quarterback.

2017 NFL Franchise Tag Players

March 1st, 2017 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The deadline to designate franchise or transition players for 2017 has passed. Here’s the rundown of the players that were tagged, plus the candidates that did not receive the designation:

Franchise players (exclusive):

Le’Veon Bell, RB (Steelers): $12.12MM (story)
Kirk Cousins, QB (Redskins): $23.94MM (story)*

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Melvin Ingram, LB (Chargers): $14.55MM (story)
Trumaine Johnson, CB (Rams): ~$16MM (story)*
Chandler Jones, LB (Cardinals): $14.55MM (story)
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE (Giants): $16.934MM (story)
Kawann Short, DT (Panthers): $13.387MM (story)

*second tag; players receive raise over designated salary for position tender

Redskins Franchise Tag Kirk Cousins

February 28th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Zachary Links

The Redskins are placing the exclusive franchise tag on Kirk Cousins, the team announced. He’ll play on a one-year, $23.94MM deal, unless the two sides can agree on a longer deal between now and July.

The exclusive tag means that other clubs cannot negotiate deals with Cousins. Under the non-exclusive variation, teams would have been able to sign Cousins to an offer sheet. An unmatched offer sheet would have resulted in a deal, though it would have meant the forfeiture of two first-round picks to the Redskins. In most cases, teams do not pursue non-exclusive tagged franchise players, but Cousins would have been an exception given the lack of quality available QBs out there.

Today’s news does not preclude the Redskins from trading Cousins, which has been a rumored possibility for some time now. The 49ers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for the QB and, depending on who you ask, that may be the only trade he’s willing to help facilitate. The Browns may also show interest in Cousins as they try to figure out their future under center. Cousins does not have a no-trade clause, but he can effectively block any deal by refusing to negotiate a long-term deal with a new team.

In his two years as a starter, Cousins has helped the Redskins to plus-.500 seasons – including a 9-7, NFC East-winning showing in 2015 – while flourishing statistically. Cousins is coming off a year in which he completed 67 percent of passes, nearly reached the 5,000-yard mark (4,917), and tossed 25 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. This past year, Pro Football Focus rated him as one of the ten best QBs in the NFL.

Kirk Cousins Would Only Accept 49ers Trade?

February 28th, 2017 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

Kirk Cousins doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but he can effectively block any potential trade by refusing to agree to a contract extension with the proposed acquiring team. With that in mind, Cousins would only accept a trade to the 49ers, John Keim of ESPN.com hears. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter) is getting different info, hearing from a source that Cousins would be open to playing for teams other than Redskins or 49ers, if that’s how things play out. The Browns, he adds, are “intriguing.”

After an abysmal 2016, it’s a bit surprising to hear that Cousins could be willing to join up with the Browns. At the same time, the team is flush with cap space and tons of draft picks, so the potential for a quick turnaround is there. Cleveland’s inability to find a franchise quarterback is well-documented and Cousins could be the guy to put a stop to their QB curse. The Browns may be prioritizing a Jimmy Garoppolo trade, but Cousins would be one heck of a consolation prize.

The Redskins are expected to tag Cousins between now and the Wednesday deadline, regardless of their longer term plans for him. Cousins, meanwhile, is unwilling to sign a long-term extension with Washington before that point.

Ingram, Johnson To Be Franchise Tagged?

February 27th, 2017 at 12:23pm CST by Zachary Links

Melvin Ingram and Trumaine Johnson are among the players expected to be franchise tagged between now and March 1, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Schefter also lists Kirk Cousins, Le’Veon Bell, Kawann Short as guys who are likely to get the tag.

While Cousins, Bell, and Short have long been seen as likely franchise candidates, things were less certain when it came to California’s two top free agents. Ingram has racked up 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons, but the Chargers have lots of holes to fill and some believed that the team would direct those resources elsewhere. Johnson, meanwhile, is coming off of a so-so season and the Rams will have to pay a surcharge in order to tag him for a second time.

It’s likely that the latest salary cap projection is playing a role in the decisions. It now sounds like the cap will land somewhere between $166MM and $169MM, up from $155.27MM last year. The one-year franchise tenders are expensive, but they are easier to swallow now that all 32 teams will have a little extra room to work with.

Our most recent edition of the Free Agent Power Rankings had Ingram as the fourth-best free agent on the board. Johnson was outside of the Top 10 but earned honorable mention.

Redskins Interested In Kenny Britt

February 24th, 2017 at 4:33pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Redskins are in danger of losing two of their best wide receivers, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson, when free agency opens March 9. With that in mind, the club has interest in another high-profile soon-to-be free agent, the Rams’ Kenny Britt, reports JP Finlay of CSN Mid-Atlantic.

Despite being a member of the worst offense in the NFL last season, Britt logged personal bests in catches (68), targets (111) and yards (1,002), and he posted the second-highest touchdown total of his eight-year career (five). Thanks to his success in 2016, Britt could command in the range of $8MM to $12MM per annum on a multiyear contract, sources told Finlay. Garcon and Jackson, who each tallied production in Britt’s neighborhood last year, figure to rake in similar amounts on their next deals.

Unlike the 28-year-old Britt, Garcon and Jackson had the benefit of playing with a high-end quarterback, fellow impending free agent Kirk Cousins, last season. Britt is mindful of Cousins’ murky status and would only want to join the Redskins if the signal-caller stays in Washington, according to Finlay. Even retaining Cousins wouldn’t guarantee anything for the Redskins with respect to Britt, as Finlay notes that at least seven other clubs are currently targeting the 6-foot-3, 223-pounder.

Franchise players (exclusive):

Franchise players (non-exclusive):

Candidates who didn’t receive tags: