Kirk Cousins claims he never demanded a trade from the Washington Redskins.
This offseason has been a roller coaster ride for the Washington Redskins. After a heartbreaking loss in Week 17 to the Giants, they didn’t make the postseason. The Scot McCloughan fiasco took a toll on everyone, including fans, players and the front office. However, Kirk Cousins has been the source of a lot of the drama. There were reports he didn’t want to sign his franchise tag, but now he will. On a podcast with Adam Schefter, Cousins clarified the situation.
“I did inquire if there was any interest in trading me to get an understanding of their perspective,” Cousins said, via ESPN. “The answer I got back was Mr. Snyder communicated his belief in me and desire for me to remain a Redskin.”
Reports were linking Cousins to a number of teams, most notably the 49ers. With Kyle Shanahan as their new head coach, there were rumors San Francisco wanted to make a trade for the Redskins quarterback. After all, Cousins works well with his former offensive coordinator and they have the cap space necessary to give him a long-term deal.
Even if he signs his franchise tag, he can still be traded. The franchise tag doesn’t necessarily mean Cousins will be sticking around in the nation’s capitol. In fact, no decision regarding his future can be made before the tag gets signed.
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Cousins can become a free agent after next season, as the Redskins can’t franchise him for a third consecutive season. His future could be largely determined by the 49ers actions in the 2017 NFL Draft. If they draft Mitch Trubisky, DeShaun Watson or Deshone Kizer, Cousins likely won’t be an option for them.