Redskins' Kirk Cousins: Still far apart on extension terms

[Sharkinva]

Tandler take

Need to Know: If the Redskins don't pay Cousins now they will pay dearly later


Redskins must pay Cousins now or pay dearly later

There has been plenty of positive chatter lately about the possibility of Kirk Cousins signing a long-term contract with the Redskins. But are they really any closer to getting a deal done?

Don’t ask Jay Gruden. Although he was aware of an ESPN report saying that that there is a more “positive outlook” when it comes to getting a deal done, the head coach said that he didn’t know much about it.

“I was just alerted of the report,” Gruden said after yesterday’s OTA practice. “I don’t have a reaction. I’m not in the negotiations, unfortunately. I’m going to let everybody handle that. I think Bruce [Allen], Eric Schaffer, they’ll do a fine job and obviously, Kirk’s agent will do his work and hopefully something gets done.”

Nobody expected Gruden to be in there crunching numbers with Schaffer, Allen, and Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney. But he probably does stay updated on the big picture. That’s only natural since his long-term future in Washington has a much better chance of being successful if Cousins is at quarterback.

The present alternatives to Cousins are not appealing. Colt McCoy may be a good fill in for a few games here and there but he’s not a QB you can count on to start 16 games for you. When I asked offensive coordinator (and former quarterbacks coach) about the potential for Nate Sudfeld he spoke more in terms of him learning to become a backup than he did about the possibility that he could start a game.

Per the ESPN article, the positive vibes in the Cousins talks may not lead to a deal by the July 15 deadline. After that, Cousins and the team can’t talk about a new deal until after the season ends.

But it would very much behoove the Redskins to do what it takes to get a deal done by July 15. Here are the options and pitfalls if this goes into 2018:

• The team could slap him with a third franchise tag. That would cost them $34.5 million. As detailed here, that’s just not feasible.
• They could give him the transition tag. Cousins could shop his services and the Redskins would have the right to match an offer he gets from another team. He also could sign the tag and get a salary of $28 million for the year. That would be easier to swallow that then franchise tag but it still would create cap issues.
• If they don’t tag him, he could shop his services to any other team and all the Redskins could do is get in the bidding.
• If he goes to free agency or takes offers under the transition tag and has a big year, building on what he has done in his two seasons as a starter, his price tag could go through the roof.
• Even if he just stays at the level he has played at the last two years, the number of teams desperate for even a competent quarterback will drive his price tag up.
• Extensions for Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, and Matt Ryan could raise the bar even further. We probably won’t see the first quarterback contract with an average annual value of $30 million but the deals could come close to that.

In short, the price tag for securing Cousins’ services for the long haul is not going to go anywhere but up if they don’t strike a deal this year. That’s not to say that it can’t happen following this season but that the price tag will increase, maybe astronomically.

ESPN’s report notes that Dan Snyder is now involved in the talks. While I’m not sure why it took him so long since he ultimately has to OK a deal that will make him write out some very large checks, better late than never.

As noted yesterday, this new optimism is all public relations until the Redskins put a realistic contract offer on the table. If they do, things can move in a hurry. If they don’t step up and pay now they either will have to pay a lot later or join the group of teams desperate for a decent signal caller.

 

[deanpet21]

Tandler take

Need to Know: If the Redskins don't pay Cousins now they will pay dearly later


Redskins must pay Cousins now or pay dearly later

There has been plenty of positive chatter lately about the possibility of Kirk Cousins signing a long-term contract with the Redskins. But are they really any closer to getting a deal done?

Don’t ask Jay Gruden. Although he was aware of an ESPN report saying that that there is a more “positive outlook” when it comes to getting a deal done, the head coach said that he didn’t know much about it.

“I was just alerted of the report,” Gruden said after yesterday’s OTA practice. “I don’t have a reaction. I’m not in the negotiations, unfortunately. I’m going to let everybody handle that. I think Bruce [Allen], Eric Schaffer, they’ll do a fine job and obviously, Kirk’s agent will do his work and hopefully something gets done.”

Nobody expected Gruden to be in there crunching numbers with Schaffer, Allen, and Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney. But he probably does stay updated on the big picture. That’s only natural since his long-term future in Washington has a much better chance of being successful if Cousins is at quarterback.

The present alternatives to Cousins are not appealing. Colt McCoy may be a good fill in for a few games here and there but he’s not a QB you can count on to start 16 games for you. When I asked offensive coordinator (and former quarterbacks coach) about the potential for Nate Sudfeld he spoke more in terms of him learning to become a backup than he did about the possibility that he could start a game.

Per the ESPN article, the positive vibes in the Cousins talks may not lead to a deal by the July 15 deadline. After that, Cousins and the team can’t talk about a new deal until after the season ends.

But it would very much behoove the Redskins to do what it takes to get a deal done by July 15. Here are the options and pitfalls if this goes into 2018:

• The team could slap him with a third franchise tag. That would cost them $34.5 million. As detailed here, that’s just not feasible.
• They could give him the transition tag. Cousins could shop his services and the Redskins would have the right to match an offer he gets from another team. He also could sign the tag and get a salary of $28 million for the year. That would be easier to swallow that then franchise tag but it still would create cap issues.
• If they don’t tag him, he could shop his services to any other team and all the Redskins could do is get in the bidding.
• If he goes to free agency or takes offers under the transition tag and has a big year, building on what he has done in his two seasons as a starter, his price tag could go through the roof.
• Even if he just stays at the level he has played at the last two years, the number of teams desperate for even a competent quarterback will drive his price tag up.
• Extensions for Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford, and Matt Ryan could raise the bar even further. We probably won’t see the first quarterback contract with an average annual value of $30 million but the deals could come close to that.

In short, the price tag for securing Cousins’ services for the long haul is not going to go anywhere but up if they don’t strike a deal this year. That’s not to say that it can’t happen following this season but that the price tag will increase, maybe astronomically.

ESPN’s report notes that Dan Snyder is now involved in the talks. While I’m not sure why it took him so long since he ultimately has to OK a deal that will make him write out some very large checks, better late than never.

As noted yesterday, this new optimism is all public relations until the Redskins put a realistic contract offer on the table. If they do, things can move in a hurry. If they don’t step up and pay now they either will have to pay a lot later or join the group of teams desperate for a decent signal caller.

Nothing new here. Everyone knows if they don't give the LTD now and he plays well this year he makes more money next year. That is not the issue.

 

[Sharkinva]

Nothing new here. Everyone knows if they don't give the LTD now and he plays well this year he makes more money next year. That is not the issue.

The issue is the part I bolded. Even if Kirk simply stays at the level where he is right now, and we let him walk. We once again join the ranks of the teams desperate for a competent QB.

Desperation leads to panic.
Panic leads to over evaluating players.
Over evaluating leads to the Dumb trade side.

So while I agree nothing new here, it points out the obvious reasons why the Skins would be better off getting him locked up now even if some people want to ignore the obvious.

 

[gkekoa]

Nothing new here. Everyone knows if they don't give the LTD now and he plays well this year he makes more money next year. That is not the issue.

If it is nothing new, why the hell would you support the FO and their handling of this situation?

 

[skinsdad62]

dean after the giants game

 

[deanpet21]

dean after the giants game

pretty damn close

 

[Sharkinva]

pretty damn close

www.gofundDean.com

Planning this... just in case Cousins does get a LTD this year. CAuse something tells me you might need a new TV, Computer or cell phone depending on where you hear the news from first.

 

[skinsdad62]

Kirk Cousins goes into the 2017 season as the unquestioned starter after two years of Pro Bowl caliber play. Finishing last season with just under 5,000 yards and a passer rating of 97.2, Cousins is set to have another big year in Jay Gruden’s pass happy offense. The loss of top receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon may hurt his a production a bit, but shouldn’t be anything major. This will be especially true if Terrelle Pryor can continue to improve as a receiver, and if Josh Doctson can stay healthy and prove he deserved to be a first round pick.


Playing in a quarterback friendly offense may help boost Cousins numbers a bit, but is doesn’t take away from his skills as a passer. If the Redskins running game can stay consistent and productive, then we may see Cousins game rise to a new level as coverage may bite on the play action harder than this past season. However, if the running game struggles like it did at times last year, then more games may fall on to Cousins shoulders.

Defense will also play a big factor in how well Cousins will need to perform. A majority of the losses from the past season can be blamed solely on the defense, while some of the wins were thanks to the offense alone.

The upcoming season should not worry Cousins. He will likely fare just fine with the Redskins. The only issue is whether or not he will remain on the team for future seasons. After putting up numbers like he has in the past two seasons, it’s no wonder he wants to get paid like a franchise quarterback. Whether it’s his “poor” performances in big games, or if the team just lacks faith in him, the Redskins are committed to playing this contract situation out as long as possible. That said, negotiations have had a positive spin lately, so that could be good news for both parties.

a take on KC

 

[skinsdad62]

After a splendid career at the University of Texas and an up and down three years with Cleveland, Colt McCoy has found a home with the Redskins. Serving as Cousins’ backup, McCoy has proven he’s more than capable of winning a few games when needed. An asset that not many teams have, as a top backup quarterback. McCoy is a truly valuable piece to the Redskins.


McCoy is a prototypical game manager quarterback. If you need him to come in for a few games, he can perform well enough to put the team in a position to win. He’s accurate enough to move the ball in Gruden’s scheme, and also athletic enough to scramble for positive yardage if a play breaks down. With the talent the Redskins have on offense, McCoy should be able to perform well if he is needed to come in.

McCoy is under contract until 2019, so the Redskins know they have security at the backup position. And as Redskins great Joe Gibbs once said “The second most important person on the team is the backup quarterback.”

what we have in Colt , a factor , if we go in another direction

 

[skinsdad62]

Nate Sudfeld is a strong armed project quarterback. And he may be more important than some people give him credit for. Sudfeld is a young, developing quarterback who may have more pure arm talent than Cousins and McCoy. In three preseason games last year, Sudfeld went 28 for 53 for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns. Over that time, he did not throw a single pick.

Accuracy and decision making are the parts of Sudfeld’s game the he should be looking to improve. Completing just 53 percent of his passes in the preseason, he needs to adjust to putting the ball in a place where his receivers can catch it. Gruden’s offense is also known to be quarterback friendly, so completions should never be a problem. However, if Sudfeld can learn to improve his accuracy, and he becomes smarter and safer with the ball, then the Redskins may have a just found a steal of a sixth round pick.

Next: Redskins-Eagles 2017 season preview
With the concern of Cousins contract situation, Sudfeld may be in a position to vie for the starting position if Cousins doesn’t remain with the team. As long as he can show improvement this offseason, Sudfeld should have job security in the NFL given his high upside.

his development can and should be a factor in this situation . if you ask me he seems to be coming along well for his draft position . he still is a work in progress though

 

[skinsdad62]

Dan's Time to Shine! | D.C. Hot Read

a must read to get a handle on this situation . i wonder how many will actually read this ?

 

[Sharkinva]

Defense will also play a big factor in how well Cousins will need to perform. A majority of the losses from the past season can be blamed solely on the defense, while some of the wins were thanks to the offense alone.

Wait... he must be making this up right??

 

[deanpet21]

Dan's Time to Shine! | D.C. Hot Read

a must read to get a handle on this situation . i wonder how many will actually read this ?

I read it but we don't know what KC actually wants. Is it over 25m per year? 25m per year? Will he take 23.5 a year? The point im getting at is if he is offered 23.5 a year and hold out for 25 or 26 then I call foul.

 

[deanpet21]

Wait... he must be making this up right??

What wins were on the offense alone? Besides Gb and Chi.

 

[Sharkinva]

What wins were on the offense alone? Besides Gb and Chi.

Team sport Dean, rarely is one guy the reason a team wins or losses. Hard concept, I get it. But even the games the defense SAVED, the offense put us in a position to win.

 

[deanpet21]

Team sport Dean, rarely is one guy the reason a team wins or losses. Hard concept, I get it. But even the games the defense SAVED, the offense put us in a position to win.

So you and that writer refuse to answer the question. I think its a balls statement from that writer. I guess he didn't watch the Car or NYG games in Dec. lol

 

[Sharkinva]

So you and that writer refuse to answer the question. I think its a balls statement from that writer. I guess he didn't watch the Car or NYG games in Dec. lol

I think the writer, like most logical people, is able to look at the season as a whole and isnt obsessed with using two bad games and a few bad plays as justification for doing something that will likely set the team back even IF it turns out Kirk finally satisfies the quest for elite crowd.

 

[Sleepy T]

I read it but we don't know what KC actually wants. Is it over 25m per year? 25m per year? Will he take 23.5 a year? The point im getting at is if he is offered 23.5 a year and hold out for 25 or 26 then I call foul.

I agree. $26+ is a ridiculous amount this year for what KC has accomplished.

If we use Cousins’ 2017 salary ($24 million) as a reasonable figure for an annual average value, the strong belief in the industry is that the Redskins are going to have to offer a minimum of $25 million per year on average and from what I’ve heard, it’s likely going to take more than that.

That’s with $60 + million in fully guaranteed funds.

Cousins is not being greedy. That’s Cousins getting paid what is fair based on the market, his performance and the scarcity at the position.

If Cousins settles for $23.5 million and say $55 million in fully guaranteed dollars, he and agent Mike McCartney are doing the Redskins a huge favor and they are leaving money on the table.

Paaalease.

 

[deanpet21]

I think the writer, like most logical people, is able to look at the season as a whole and isnt obsessed with using two bad games and a few bad plays as justification for doing something that will likely set the team back even IF it turns out Kirk finally satisfies the quest for elite crowd.

2 bad games? lol

 

[deanpet21]

I agree. $26+ is a ridiculous amount this year for what KC has accomplished.




Paaalease.

I agree. How can anybody find fault with us when we don't know what he really wants in a LTD?