The idea that Bruce Allen suddenly is committed to keeping Kirk Cousins Long Term is ludicrous. If he really wanted to sign Cousins to a long term deal, it would have happened already. Instead, the Redskins team president is leaking contract numbers to the media to try and make Cousins budge on his salary numbers. Cousins isn't going to fall for it, and he'll certainly be a Redskin in 2017, but there's no guarantee he'll be a Redskin after that.
What Happens After a Franchise Tag Year?
By tagging Cousins, the Redskins are effectively betting against his performance in 2017.
If he performs well, similar to what happened with Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo, the Redskins will be placed in a tough situation. It will be even tougher for Washington because Cousins could hit the open market as a free agent at the end of the year.
And if that happens, Cousins probably isn't going to accept a hometown discount to stay with his team. After all, Bruce Allen refused to offer him a long term deal. The team that he does choose to sign with would likely be the highest bidder of the 2018 offseason.
If Cousins plays poorly in 2017, the Redskins could sign him for a lower contract number, but he will have also played poorly in the past year. Either way, the situation feels like a lose-lose one for Washington.
Options.
Right now, the Redskins should be approaching the situation as if they have two options. The first is to simply sign Cousins to a long term deal with guaranteed money, making both sides happy and securing Kirk Cousins as the quarterback of the future in Washington.
The other option is to trade the man who has led the Redskins to two straight seasons of a record above .500.
It sounds ridiculous, but quarterbacks in the NFL are in very high demand. The Vikings even traded a first round pick for Sam Bradford last season!
If Bradford's value was that high, think about what Kirk Cousins could fetch on the open market! The Redskins could likely receive at least two first round picks for the talented quarterback, which could be used to fill roster holes. The only issue? The Redskins would be left with another hole at quarterback.
