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Redskins GM wanted to sign Kirk Cousins long term

By Greg Patuto

Jan 10, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball against the Green Bay Packers during the first half in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Redskins GM said he would have liked to sign Kirk Cousins to a long term contract.

Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins could agree to a long term deal ahead of the deadline, but Cousins will play under the franchise tag this season.

According to NFL.com, Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan acknowledged that he wanted to sign Cousins to a deal but did not want to put the franchise’s future in danger.

“It’s the market. The NFL’s a phenomenal, phenomenal entity, and the money’s incredible,” McCloughan said during an interview on SiriusXM Bleacher Report radio. “But the way I look at it is I want Kirk in a long-term deal, no doubt about it, but also I’m not gonna put our franchise in a situation where we’re gonna lose three or four younger guys that I think are gonna be good football players for one guy.”

McCloughan was part of the Seahawks and 49ers organizations while they were on their rise, so he knows how to build a team up and that’s his plan with the Redskins.

“The quarterback position’s very, very important, but you know what, so is every other position,” McCloughan said when talking about the state of the team. “We need football players. We need multiple football players, not one.”

Cousins got hot after the bye week, throwing for 20 touchdowns and only three interceptions in the final nine games. Cousins got a chance to be the full time starter when coach Jay Gruden handed him the job over Robert Griffin III. While he lead them to a division title and a home playoff game, he could not be signed long term.

The Redskins did the right thing by holding off on breaking the bank for Cousins. He showed little promise in his first three seasons as a backup and through the first seven games last season he threw for nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. It is hard to sign a guy based off of a good half season.

At the end of they day, Cousins finished last season as the NFL’s leader in completion percentage (69.8 percent) and broke the Redskins’ franchise record for passing yards (4,166). If he repeats that performance this season, then he will get his pay day and that is McCloughan’s plan.

McCloughan said how both sides would like to work out a deal and ended the interview saying, “Hopefully he’s our quarterback for a long time going forward.”

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