Redskins throw Kirk Cousins under the bus (Photo)
After failing to ink a long-term deal with Kirk Cousins, the Washington Redskins want you to know who’s to blame.
Monday afternoon was the 2017 deadline to sign franchise tagged players to a long-term deal, and again the Washington Redskins failed to get Kirk Cousins locked up beyond the coming season.
Absent a long-term deal at market value, Cousins has seemed comfortable playing this season for the $23.94 million due to him on the franchise tag. He’ll now be the first quarterback in NFL history to play two straight seasons on that tag, with a third straight franchise tag from the Redskins highly unlikely in 2018 as the value goes up.
Earlier on Monday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported the Redskins made their “best offer” to Cousins. That offer apparently exceeded the previous offer of around $20 million per year, but fell short of what Cousins will make this year on the franchise tag with only one more guaranteed year added.
The Redskins have made a lot of wrong moves related to a long-term deal for Cousins. That did not stop indications from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the quarterback is willing to revisit contract talks after the season, but the team is not helping that cause.
Via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, a statement from Redskins’ president Bruce Allen regarding the Cousins situation.
Full statement from Bruce Allen. He didn't take any questions. pic.twitter.com/CBzfvQcroH
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 17, 2017
Allen’s assertion about an offer on May 2 lines up with Pelissero’s reported timeline, without the important detail of how many fully guaranteed years. Regarding Allen’s suggestion of no counter offers despite “repeated attempts” from the team’s side, it will be interesting to see if a public reaction comes from Cousins, or more specifically his agent.
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Garafolo also says Allen did not take questions, which is expected. But hope from the Redskins about a long-term deal with Cousins is not being backed up by anything that has gone public. Cousins seems set to hit the free agent market next spring, with multiple suitors sure to come.