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Kirk Cousins

East Notes: RGIII, Cousins, Jets, Bills, Eagles

January 11th, 2016 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III made it through the 2015 season healthy, which means his 2016 salary – currently guaranteed for injury only – won’t become fully guaranteed. As such, it’s probably just a matter of time until the team releases the former second overall pick, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets and Jason Reid of ESPN.com writes.

The RGIII era in Washington is set to come to an end, having overlapped with the start of the Kirk Cousins era, and it remains to be seen what sort of long-term future Cousins has in Washington. For now though, all signs (and reports) point to the club aiming to lock up its new starting quarterback via a multiyear contract or the franchise tag this offseason.

Following Washington’s Wild Card loss to the Packers, Cousins was asked about his future and replied, “I want to be where I am wanted,” per John Keim of ESPN.com. For now, that will almost certainly mean staying in D.C.

Here’s more from across the NFL’s East divisions:

Breer’s Latest: Cousins, Bucs, L.A., Titans

January 8th, 2016 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

In his latest notes column for NFL.com, Albert Breer of the NFL Network takes a closer look at the group of top quarterbacks in the 2016 draft class, before exploring several other noteworthy topics from around the NFL. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • Washington continues to plan on having Kirk Cousins back next season, as has been previously reported. Sources tell Breer that the team wants to lock up Cousins to a long-term contract before the deadline to apply franchise or transition tags to players. But if the two sides can’t work something out by then, Washington is “fully prepared” to franchise its quarterback.
  • Having worked in Arizona and observed the relationship between Steve Keim and Bruce Arians, Buccaneers GM Jason Licht would like to create a similar dynamic in Tampa Bay. Licht wants to hire a head coach who “he can challenge and be challenged by, without anyone getting offended.” The ideal candidate for the Bucs would also “instill toughness” and “set a culture,” and those are considered more important factors than whether a coach is offensive- or defensive-minded, according to Breer.
  • At this point, among the NFL’s team owners, there are two distinct camps when it comes to the Los Angeles relocation proposals — one camp is focused on the projects, and favors the Rams‘ proposal, while the other camp is focused on the owners and teams involved, and favors the Chargers‘ and Raiders‘ Carson plan. Neither side has the necessary votes, and it won’t be easy to obtain them, says Breer.
  • There’s concern within the Titans organization about how often their quarterbacks – particularly Marcus Mariota – have been hit and injured over the last couple seasons. Breer suggests that could be a factor that makes the team shy away from hiring Chip Kelly, since his quarterbacks in Philadelphia were frequently injured as well. Of course, one could argue that those injuries were the result of bad luck and/or poor offensive line play, rather than being coaching-related, but Michael Vick and Nick Foles both went down while playing behind solid lines for the Eagles.
  • The Browns‘ head coaching job certainly isn’t considered the most desirable one among the seven that are currently available, but coaches consider it significant to have a direct line to a team’s owner, and Cleveland’s next coach will report directly to Jimmy Haslam, Breer observes.

Kirk Cousins To Remain In Washington In 2016

December 20th, 2015 at 11:43am CST by Rory Parks

Kirk Cousins will remain in Washington in 2016, even if the team has to use the franchise tag on him, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Citing sources with knowledge of the situation, La Canfora says the team has already reached out to Cousins’ representatives to express its interest in a long-term deal.

Cousins, of course, has had an up-and-down tenure with Washington over his four years with the club. Often the subject of trade rumors, sometimes relegated to a backup role when it seemed apparent that he gave the team the best chance to win, he has finally had the opportunity to display his skills on a full-time basis this year. Although Washington has compiled a mediocre 6-7 record in 2015, it is currently in first place in the NFC East and in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth due to the weakness of its division. And although Cousins’ numbers do not jump off the page, they certainly support Washington’s belief that it has a quarterback on the rise. Cousins has completed over 69 percent of his passes while throwing 18 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, compiling a 93.2 quarterback rating in the process. The fact that he has put together such a season without the benefit of a strong running game makes his efforts even more impressive.

Although it does not make sense for Cousins’ representatives to engage in contract talks now, as he continues to build leverage with passing week, the team has made it known that it is ready to talk contract whenever he is. Washington certainly believes it will begin negotiations not longer after the season is over, and one high-ranking official of a quarterback-needy club has expressed his belief that GM Scot McCloughan will do everything in his power to keep Cousins in the nation’s capital, including putting the $19-20MM franchise tag on him.

The type of contract Cousins could land as the best quarterback on the free agent market has been a hot topic of conversation over the past week, with some pointing to Alex Smith‘s deal with Kansas City–which has an AAV of $15MM and includes $45MM fully-guaranteed–as a reasonable comparable. Even if Cousins does not quite reach that level of guaranteed money, he is about to be a very rich man. Washington–which has been just as impressed with the way Cousins has handled himself during his time with the team as it is with his ability–is ready to make sure he will earn that fortune while wearing burgundy and gold.

NFC Notes: Michael, Jeffery, Trattou, Cousins

December 16th, 2015 at 8:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The Seahawks inked running back Christine Michael to a contract earlier today, his second stint with the organization. The former second-rounder was traded prior to the season, and with all of the injuries in Seattle’s backfield, he’s hoping his second chance ends better than his first.

“I’m just here to work and give you guys all I have,” he told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. “That’s all I can do. All I want to do. And I told them just like that.’’

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

  • Alshon Jeffery ranked number two in the first installment of our 2016 free agent power rankings, but he’s not the only important Bears player on an expiring deal. Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com takes a look at four more to go along with Jeffery.
  • After re-signing with the Vikings, defensive end Justin Trattou admitted that he got an offer from another team during his brief time as a free agent, but turned it down because he wanted to remain in Minnesota. “I really didn’t want to go anywhere else,” Trattou said, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “I’m happy where I’m at.”
  • While Panthers cornerback Josh Norman is considered one of the top free-agents-to-be at any position for 2016, there are plenty of other corners who should be in line for nice deals, including Sean Smith of the Chiefs and Janoris Jenkins of the Rams. Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap takes a closer look at the cornerback market.
  • Former sports agent (and current writer for CBSSports.com) Joel Corry examined what Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins‘ next contract will look like. Corry wonders if Cousins could receive a deal similar to the two-year, $24.5MM (worth up to $38MM) extension between the Rams and Nick Foles.

Ben Levine contributed to this post.

QB Rumors: Luck, Hoyer, Dalton, Cousins

December 16th, 2015 at 12:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The race for the AFC South title will take another interesting twist this week, as the starting quarterbacks for the division’s top teams have both been ruled out for Week 15. The Texans announced today that Brian Hoyer won’t play due to a concussion, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle details, while Colts head coach Chuck Pagano told reporters that Andrew Luck won’t play, though Matt Hasselbeck should (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).

The two current leaders in the AFC South are, of course, scheduled to play each other this Sunday, so one of the two 6-7 clubs will almost certainly get back to .500. But they’ll have to attempt to do so without their starting QBs.

Here are a few more updates on quarterback situations around the NFL:

  • Bengals players expect quarterback Andy Dalton to be sidelined for about four to six weeks, tweets Ed Werder of ESPN.com. If he can heal quickly and return in four weeks, that would put Dalton on track to potentially start a game on Wild Card weekend for Cincinnati.
  • With Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins nearing the end of his rookie contract, Joel Corry of CBSSports.com takes a look at what a contract extension for Cousins might look like. As Corry observes, a Nick Foles-type deal could work for both sides, but Cousins should be in no rush to sign an extension if he finishes the season strong, since making Washington have to consider using its franchise tag would give him plenty of leverage.
  • Cousins is one of a handful of potential free agent quarterbacks that Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks discuss in a piece for NFL.com, and the duo agrees that Washington should do all it can to hang onto the fourth-year signal-caller. Jeremiah and Brooks also examine Eagles QB Sam Bradford, Blaine Gabbert of the 49ers, and Broncos QB Brock Osweiler, among others.
  • Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Jay Cutler are among the players whose teams – the Saints, Broncos, and Bears respectively – will face some tough cap decisions this offseason, writes Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. Each case is a little different, but restructured contracts, trades, or cuts could be in play, as Robinson details.

Breer’s Latest: Dolphins, Gronk, Cowboys, Texans

December 5th, 2015 at 3:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dan Campbell‘s decision to jettison both his coordinators, with OC Bill Lazor being the second to go, as an interim coach likely stemmed from the tough-minded instructor’s dismay at the Dolphins being referred to as a “finesse team in a power division,” Albert Breer of NFL.com reports.

Miami ranks 27th in rushing yards per game but sixth in yards per carry at 4.6 and attempted just 23 combined runs the past two games. This led to a sense that Lazor was losing his players, per Breer.

Lazor and Ryan Tannehill began to have a less-than-ideal QB-OC relationship, and Breer now notes Campbell will take a more involved role in the Fins’ offensive approach. So, Lamar Miller will probably see more touches going forward.

Here are some more notes from the veteran NFL scribe.

  • Rob Gronkowski‘s league-high five offensive-pass interference penalties stem from teams alerting officials to the Patriots‘ brand of pick routes against an increasing amount of man coverage, with Gronk’s size making separation at route stems noticeable. Defensive coordinators are torn on the degree of the All-Pro tight end’s level of infraction, with one saying “He pushes off on every play” and another categorizing the physical performer’s penalties as a product of his size. “It just looks extreme with him, because of size and strength. A 180-pound dude pushing off is different [than] a 260-pound dude pushing off,” the anonymous DC told Breer. Another coordinator falls in the middle of these characterizations, noting the Patriots’ volume of pick routes makes it logical they should be on the receiving end of the most OPI flags.
  • With Tony Romo set for his age-36 season in 2016 and coming off more severe collarbone trouble, the Cowboys will explore taking a quarterback in the first round and signing a veteran, Breer reports. Romo being the starter for the foreseeable future gives the Cowboys some flexibility here by not having to reach for a player they don’t think can take the reins.
  • The Los Angeles relocation project continues to point toward the Chargers and Rams, with Breer noting Dean Spanos carries the political capital in the owners’ eyes and Stan Kroenke possessing the finances to make this transition work.
  • Bill O’Brien‘s cultivating a reputation as a players’ coach in leading the Texans, permitting open social media use and organizing a 12-player leadership council, Breer notes. Houston’s now tied for first in the AFC South with Indianapolis, but as far back as the Texans’ blowout loss in Miami in late October, players were behind O’Brien. “He’s not the problem. Very cool coach to play for and everyone enjoys the way he treats us,” one Texan told Breer after that 44-26 defeat.
  • In projecting franchise tag figures for next year, Breer also gives predictions of players potentially being tagged. Moving past long-rumored names like Von Miller and Muhammad Wilkerson, NFL executives told Breer players like Josh Norman, Janoris Jenkins, Russell Okung, Mike Daniels and Kirk Cousins are tag candidates.

Latest On 2016 NFL Salary Cap

December 4th, 2015 at 5:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, we heard that NFL executives had been informed by the league office that 2016’s salary cap for teams is expected to be in the range of $147MM-155MM, an increase over this year’s $143.28MM figure. Today, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reduces the gap on that estimate, tweeting that the league’s estimate projected a cap between $150MM and $153.4MM.

As Albert Breer of the NFL Network observes, the projection teams get in December typically comes in a little lower than the final figure, so we can probably assume that the cap will eventually land around $153MM. Breer passes along the projected franchise-tag amounts for a hypothetical cap of $153MM, which predictably come in just slightly below the figures provided by Joel Corry of CBSSports.com last month — Corry was projecting a $154MM cap.

While teams can start making tentative plans based on the latest cap estimates, agents and players may prefer to wait things out. According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link), many players and their agents would rather see where the cap lands before signing new contracts, out of concern that those new deals will quickly become outdated, with the cap on the rise. Cole identifies Buccaneers running back Doug Martin and Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins as two players exercising patience, even though their clubs wouldn’t mind getting something done prior to free agency.

As Over the Cap’s team-by-team cap projections for 2016 show, there are currently two clubs – the Dolphins and Saints – whose salary commitments put them over the cap for ’16 already. OTC’s figures are based on a $150MM estimate, but since Miami and New Orleans each have more than $154MM in salary on their books, they’d still be a little over the cap even if it lands on the high end of the league’s projections.

Breer’s Latest: Cousins, Jets, L.A., London

November 27th, 2015 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

After spending some time looking back on the long-time Tom Brady/Peyton Manning rivalry, which won’t get another installment this weekend, Albert Breer of the NFL Network surveys the rest of the NFL, and passes along a handful of noteworthy nuggets. Let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

  • Sources tell Breer that Washington and Kirk Cousins‘ representatives have engaged in “very preliminary” extension talks. However, both sides have acknowledged that those discussions are unlikely to really get serious until after the season.
  • As Washington considers a long-term deal – or perhaps the franchise tag – for Cousins, the club needs to decide if he’s a franchise quarterback. Jay Gruden‘s assessment? “That’s what we need to find out,” the Washington head coach said. “The quarterback position, you gotta be consistent. And if there is a knock on Kirk, it’s that he played great here for a quarter or a half, and then he has a couple brain farts and throws a couple bad balls. He needs to be highly consistent over time. But arm talent-wise, leadership skill-wise, there’s no question he can be a very good quarterback for a long time. You just keep repping him, keep coaching him. Every week is different.”
  • The Jets are seeing “years of shaky drafting” catch up to them, so GM Mike Maccagnan will have to figure out how to restock the roster this winter. According to Breer, there’s a good chance that Maccagnan will try to accumulate draft capital on the trade market — Muhammad Wilkerson would be an interesting chip if the club decides to use its franchise tag on him.
  • With the Chargers, Rams, and Raiders – the three teams considering a move to Los Angeles – all struggling in recent weeks, it’s fair to wonder if one or more of those franchises will undergo overhauls this offseason, particularly if any relocate to Los Angeles. As Breer observes, there were four teams that relocated in the 1990s, and three of them fired their coaches at that time. Any club that moves to L.A. in 2016 would have to take a hard look at every aspect of its operation, particularly since the league as a whole “cannot afford to fail when it comes to Los Angeles,” as former Raiders exec Amy Trask tells Breer.
  • One of the three games scheduled to be played in London in 2016 features the Rams and an unknown NFC East opponent for now, as the league waits to see how the standings will line up. As Breer explains, the move is designed to test how the U.K. fan base will react when it only knows one of the two teams, since tickets are set to go on sale next week.

NFC East Notes: Kelly, Eagles, Hardy

November 25th, 2015 at 8:09pm CST by Zachary Links

This probably isn’t how LaRon Landry figured things would wind up when Washington took him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Earlier this week, the NFL suspended Landry indefinitely for what appears to be a third violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The former sixth overall pick has played in 103 career games with 97 starts over the course of eight seasons. In 2012 while with the Jets, Landry made his first (and, to date, only) Pro Bowl. Now, it’s not clear when or if Landry will play again. Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter recently appeared on SiriusXM and opined that Chip Kelly’s days as the Eagles‘ head coach may be numbered. Some listeners took that to be fact rather than opinion, and Schefter took exception to that. “I was completely taken aback by the way that was portrayed,” Schefter told 97.5 The Fanatic (via Rob Tornoe of Philly.com). “I never said his days in Philadelphia are numbered. I never said he’s out after this year..I think there’s a question as to whether or not Chip will be back next year. Is that an unfair statement? That’s my belief talking to various people, and we’ll see how it plays out.”
  • Multiple sources within the Cowboys organization tell Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link) consider Thursday night’s contest against the Panthers to be a big test for Greg Hardy. Hardy has had trouble keeping his emotions in check on the field and Dallas has some concern about how he’ll handle himself against his former team. How Hardy handles himself in this game and for the remainder of the season will affect how the Cowboys approach contract talks to keep the defensive end beyond 2015.
  • Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins told reporters that he hasn’t spend “one second” thinking about his contract situation (video via CSNWashington.com). We learned earlier this week that Washington has had preliminary contract talks the QB. However, there is no real reason for Cousins to sign an extension anytime soon, as the rewards for not doing so outweigh the risks.

Sunday Roundup: Sanchez, Cousins, Graham

November 22nd, 2015 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

Just like Brock Osweiler in Denver, Mark Sanchez has the opportunity to secure a full-time starting job with the Eagles, and his audition starts today. As Sam Bradford continues to deal with a concussion and shoulder injury, Sanchez will get the start against the Buccaneers this afternoon, and per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (article via Kevin Patra) he will also start Thanksgiving Day against the Lions. Since the Eagles did not sign Bradford to an extension this offseason, it will be easy for Philadelphia to move on from him if it so chooses, and it would not be a surprise if Sanchez took hold of the job for the remainder of 2015. What happens beyond that, though, is anyone’s guess.

Now let’s take a look at some links from around the league:

  • Washington has had preliminary contract talks with Kirk Cousins, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter). However, as former NFL agent Joel Corry tweets, there is no reason for Cousins to sign an extension anytime soon, as the rewards for not doing so outweigh the risks.
  • Rapoport tweets that the Cowboys‘ support for embattled DE Greg Hardy is waning. Hardy was late for practice last Thursday and late for a team meeting last Saturday, and it is unclear how much longer he can test the team’s patience. Of course, it would be strange if tardiness is the reason Dallas ultimately chooses to part ways with Hardy.
  • Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald looks back at what went right for the Dolphins this offseason and what they should have done differently.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com details the reasons for Jimmy Graham‘s disappointing 2015 season and likens his tenure with the Seahawks to Randy Moss‘ time in Oakland. Fitzgerald believes that Graham’s statistical output is artificially low because of the offense he plays in, and although there are risks if a team should choose to pursue Graham in the offseason, the potential rewards outweigh those concerns.
  • In a separate piece, Fitzgerald explores why Nick Foles‘ benching does not mean he will be leaving the Rams next year.
  • Matt Vensel of The Star Tribune examines how the Vikings have successfully navigated the draft and deftly handled difficult personnel decisions to assemble one of the league’s best defenses.
  • Likewise, Aaron Wilson of The Houston Chronicle discusses how the Texans‘ youth movement on defense is giving the club hope for the future.
  • Although it does not come as much of surprise, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that teams hoping to lure Alabama head coach Nick Saban back to the professional ranks are facing very steep odds, and La Canfora details why Saban will stay right where he is.
  • Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reviews the performance of the 2015 draft class to date, observing that, with a few notable exceptions, the class has largely been a disappointment.
  • Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com explores some potential impacts of the NFL’s decision to make compensatory draft picks tradeable.
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