The Kirk Contract Situation

[Caliskinsfan]

Michael Phillips - a sum up of all the options



ASHBURN - With the regular season in the books, the intrigue is only beginning at Redskins Park.

Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is set to become a free agent in March, and the team has to decide whether or not to bring him back - and they’ve got a lot of options at their disposal.

Here is how the next few months could play out, and what’s being said:

A long-term deal: Monday was the first day the Redskins were able to negotiate with Cousins since July. The team has an exclusive negotiating window with the quarterback that extends until March 7.

During that time they can negotiate with Cousins and his agent on a long-term deal that would keep him in Washington for several years.

Such a deal would probably need to be for four years, and include payment of at least $20 million a year, potentially more.

Franchise tag: The Redskins gave Cousins the franchise tag in 2016, but the option remains on the table in the coming year.

Franchise tag players can be designated between Feb. 15 and March 1. If the Redskins give Cousins the franchise tag, it would be a one-year contract for $23.94 million.

A third season under the tag is considered all but impossible, as the one-year salary would rise to $34.47 million.

Cousins indicated that if the Redskins want him to play another year under the franchise tag, at the $23.94 million price, he won’t hold out or object.

“Much like the first year, I'd do it the same way,” he said Monday on 106.7 The Fan in Washington. “I don't have the option to play anywhere else, so there's no point in dragging it out or pouting about it. It's a great opportunity. They're bringing you back for a reason, it sends a strong message, and I have no reason to fight that. And essentially, I have no voice in the matter, anyway.”

Cousins has the option to solicit offers from other teams before signing the franchise tag offer, but if a team signed Cousins away, it would have to send Washington its next two first-round draft picks.

Tag and trade: The Redskins could give Cousins the franchise tag contract, then attempt to trade him to another team. Such a deal would likely produce a minimal return, since that team would only have Cousins’ services for one season.

Transition tag: The Redskins could use the transition tag, which allows Cousins to bring the Redskins a long-term contract from another team, and Washington would then have the opportunity to match the offer.

However, to use the tag, Cousins would have to be guaranteed the franchise tag salary of $23.94 million in 2017 - it’s possible the quarterback would just agree to that, and decline to present the Redskins with a long-term offer from elsewhere.

Unrestricted free agency: On March 7, if the Redskins and Cousins haven’t reached a deal, and the Redskins haven’t used any of their other options, Cousins can begin talking with other teams.

On March 9, at 4 p.m., free agency officially opens.

At this point, Cousins would be free to sign with any team, and the Redskins would receive no compensation in return.

—

What they’re saying:

Cousins was brief in his thoughts about the negotiations on Sunday after a loss to the New York Giants, indicating that because of the franchise tag possibility, it wasn’t worth his while to consider the alternatives just yet.

“It’s really not my decision to make,” Cousins said. “They chose to tag me and the same is true this year, so if they don’t choose to tag me, then I think that question is answered at that point, but right now the ball’s not in my court.”

Cousins elaborated on his weekly appearance on 106.7 The Fan in Washington on Monday morning.

He was asked if he felt wanted by the Redskins, and said, “I think we’re going to find out,” adding that he didn’t want to rush to any conclusions.

“Well, I need to let some time pass right now and just get some objectivity and have a chance to think things through,” he said. “I’ve been so focused on the season that I don't know that my head's clear right now. I'll let some time pass. Ultimately, my agent will have those discussions and we'll cross that bridge when we get there. But certainly it's kind of their move first when it comes to the tag.”

Redskins coach Jay Gruden lobbied for the quarterback on Sunday.

“I don’t know what Kirk has to do as a quarterback to prove that he belongs in the National Football League as a starter,” Gruden said. “I think he belongs in the NFL as a starting quarterback, that’s for sure, and hopefully it’s here.”

Teammates agreed.

“He’s a great leader,” running back Robert Kelley said. “People on the outside probably disagree with that, but I don’t know how they look at it. Everybody in this locker room looks at him as a true leader. I feel like he’s someone we can build with and run behind.”

Running back Chris Thompson said he’s not worried about the negotiations.

“I just assume he’s going to be here,” Thompson said. “I know Kirk is about to break the bank. I’m assuming it will be here, but you know, who knows? He’s had two phenomenal years these past two years, so I know he’s gonna get his, and most likely I think it will be here.”

That decision is ultimately up to general manager Scot McCloughan, who is on the clock beginning now.

 

[gkekoa]

There is no choice. You have to resign him. We don't have another option a d playing him on the tag won't help. We will be similar next season and have an easier schedule. We will essentially have an extra first next season with Doctson and an adjusted Sua. KC will do at least as well next season and the cost keeps going up.

 

[Stymietee]

There is no choice. You have to resign him. We don't have another option a d playing him on the tag won't help. We will be similar next season and have an easier schedule. We will essentially have an extra first next season with Doctson and an adjusted Sua. KC will do at least as well next season and the cost keeps going up.

I'll take option B....there is another choice!

 

[Sharkinva]

I'll take option B....there is another choice!

So here's to hoping that take plan B.

Remind me... who is that again??

 

[countryroads316]

Hopefully Doctson can play as of right now he is a bust

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Some insightful quotes from Kirk who remains somewhat cagey and who can blame him if we are being honest...

Scott Allen...


One day after throwing a pair of interceptions in a season-ending loss to the Giants, Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins answered more questions about his future in Washington. What Cousins didn’t say during a lengthy interview with Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan was perhaps as telling as what he did say after completing his first season while playing under the franchise tag.

[Who should be blamed for Redskins’ last loss? (How about everyone.)]

“I think we’re going to find out,” Cousins said when asked how wanted he feels by the Redskins’ front office. “Those conversations haven’t happened since July 15, or even before that. So, I guess time will tell. It’s still going to play itself out, but as I said last night, you know, it really isn’t my choice. Much like when I was drafted here, the franchise tag pretty much plays out the same way. You’re coming back, or nothing. When I was drafted, it’s you’re drafted here or nothing. So you go, and you do it, and the tag is no different. It’s really not my call, or my choice to make. If they don’t tag me, then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but the nature of the tag is that the ball is in their court, and it’s really not my call.”

The Redskins have three options with Cousins this offseason. They could let him become a free agent, use the franchise tag on him for a second year at a cost of nearly $24.5 million or sign him to a long-term contract. The final option requires Cousins wanting to remain with the franchise that drafted him in 2012, but that wasn’t convinced enough after his breakout season in 2015 to offer him a long-term deal at market value last summer. Cousins has repeatedly said he wants to play where he’s wanted, but it’s unclear whether he wants to be here.

“I need to let some time pass right now and just get some objectivity and have a chance to think things through,” Cousins said when asked how he feels about staying in D.C. “I’ve been so focused on the season and just trying to get ready for the next opponent and the next opponent and do all I can to be ready that I don’t know that my head is clear right now. I’ll let some time pass, ultimately my agent will have those discussions and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But certainly it’s kind of their move first when it comes to the tag.”

[Svrluga: Cousins could have eliminated all the questions, but he didn’t]

Cousins, who at no point during Monday’s interview expressed a desire to remain with Washington, added that he genuinely doesn’t have a sense of how things will play out over the next several weeks, and more likely months. A decision on whether to franchise tag on Cousins for a second year must be made by March 1.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Cousins said. “I really don’t. I will just take it as it comes, have an open mind and try not to be surprised by anything. In this league, you never know. I’ll just be open to however it plays out. Ultimately, the offers kind of send a message, and you basically can connect the dots based off of those.”

Cousins, who spoke last summer about being comfortable playing under the franchise tag and wanting to earn a long-term deal, said he’d take the same approach if he were tagged a second time. That option would almost guarantee that Cousins is playing somewhere else in 2018.

“I don’t have the option to play anywhere else, so there’s no point in dragging it out … or pouting about it,” Cousins said. “It’s a great opportunity. They’re bringing you back for a reason and it sends a strong message. I have no reason to fight that and essentially I have not voice in the matter anyways, so I can’t really fight it. … I always say, you control what you can control. I can’t control whether or not I get tagged, so I’m not going to worry about it or spend time feeling anxious about it. Ultimately, I’ve just got to keep playing football and try to do it the best I can and try to continue to be a high-level quarterback, and if I do that, trust that in the long run things will work out.”

Paulsen ended the interview by asking Cousins to explain why it’s unrealistic for fans to expect him to accept a hometown discount to remain with the Redskins, or anything less than what his agent determines he’s worth this offseason. Cousins offered a candid response.

“I’ve got to preface this by saying I’m not trying to suck out every dollar possible,” Cousins said. “That’s just not the kind of guy I am or the way I’m going to approach it. I understand, like Scot McCloughan understands, like Jay Gruden understands, it’s all about winning football games. To have a platform to make a difference ultimately, which is what I want to do with my life, we’ve got to win football games. When you’re highly paid and your losing, no one really cares what you have to say. First of all, I think a lot of it goes down to the percentage of the salary cap. If the salary cap was much, much higher, then quarterbacks could make much, much more and it wouldn’t hurt the team. So the cap is really determining everything, so it’s not so much a dollar amount as it is a percentage of the cap. How much of the apple are you really taking, regardless of the dollar amount that it is? That percentage is what my agent has always, and will always, focus on and negotiate off of. That’s what he’s explained to me.

“Secondly, there are other quarterbacks that come after you, and it would be almost a selfish move to hurt future quarterbacks who get in position to have a contract. If you don’t take a deal that’s fair to you, then you’re also taking a deal that’s not fair to them, and you’re setting them back as well. So, there’s different reasons and you do the best you can. Frankly, once you sign the contract, there’s no law saying you can’t renegotiate. If you sign the deal and you end up coming away from two seasons saying, ‘Hey, not only did we not win, but I think the reason is that I’m taking too much,’ then you can always talk about changing that. But I don’t see a need to do that on the front end. If you can win football games and play well and play at a high level still making a fair number, then why do you need to predetermine that and go down? I think for all those reasons you want to find your value and then be able to play off that accordingly.”

 

[Stymietee]

So here's to hoping that take plan B.

Remind me... who is that again??

OK his name since so many want to play that game is.....Kirk Cousins!!

So this is how that plays out that Cousins is the place holder. They franchised him a year ago and then drafted Nate Sudfield a bad pick at QB IMO. So here we are again asking the same questions and facing the very real possibility that they just might franchise him again. Maybe Sudfield was the best that SM could get but I don't think in light of a second FT that the organization is willing to go with Sudfield and very well may draft another QB with significantly more skills than both Sudfield or McCoy. (They might as some have suggested sign a free agent that has more than McCoy or Sudfield)

With the new more highly skilled draftee/ free agent in place, Kirk is still here while the new guy is preparing to challenge for the starting gig. Win-win for the organization. They did it a season ago, there is absolutely no reason to believe that it won't happen again.

 

[skinsdad62]

ok what draft pick are you seeing ?

 

[Sharkinva]

SO you want to blow $24m AND a top draft pick on the position. And what happens if prime draft pick turns out to be 2 or three years away?? Do we then pay Kirk $34M to be the place holder again??

Never mind that this year is apparently a bad year for QBs in the draft. Thats beside the point. You want to burn no less than $24M and ANOTHER high draft pick on the QB position....

Chasing elite at its best.

 

[ehb5]

SO you want to blow $24m AND a top draft pick on the position. And what happens if prime draft pick turns out to be 2 or three years away?? Do we then pay Kirk $34M to be the place holder again??

Never mind that this year is apparently a bad year for QBs in the draft. Thats beside the point. You want to burn no less than $24M and ANOTHER high draft pick on the QB position....

Chasing elite at its best.

Agree its besides the point but I dont think this draft class is bad at QB at all. Much better than Goff and Wentz.

 

[Stymietee]

ok what draft pick are you seeing ?

Right now as e type almost any of the top 5 or 6 are better than McCoy and what little I have been able to see of Sudfield. More likely the guy who drops to the second round is our guy or choice of guys. That is where I would look to improve at minimum our back up situation. Last week there was conversation about the Bills moving on from T. Taylor, another upgrade from those two if he can be bought in at a good price. There could be others in free agency but I can't name them yet because I either don't know who they might be or haven't studied them enough to make that call.

I'm so tired of this organizations tilt towards making the either/or drastic moves that ultimately doesn't upgrade us. Smart teams make smart moves, there are a few of them, I just want us to become one of them. Keeping a known entity while making moves to upgrade at all positions seems to me to be the smartest thing that our team can do. Remember the old saying that used to be a staple amongst championship squads? It went something like this......They don't rebuild, they reload!!

 

[ehb5]

OK his name since so many want to play that game is.....Kirk Cousins!!

So this is how that plays out that Cousins is the place holder. They franchised him a year ago and then drafted Nate Sudfield a bad pick at QB IMO. So here we are again asking the same questions and facing the very real possibility that they just might franchise him again. Maybe Sudfield was the best that SM could get but I don't think in light of a second FT that the organization is willing to go with Sudfield and very well may draft another QB with significantly more skills than both Sudfield or McCoy. (They might as some have suggested sign a free agent that has more than McCoy or Sudfield)

With the new more highly skilled draftee/ free agent in place, Kirk is still here while the new guy is preparing to challenge for the starting gig. Win-win for the organization. They did it a season ago, there is absolutely no reason to believe that it won't happen again.

Where are you planning on drafting this guy? 4th round? 6th round? or 1st round?

 

[Sharkinva]

Agree its besides the point but I dont think this draft class is bad at QB at all. Much better than Goff and Wentz.

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Height: 6-4. Weight: 230.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2017): 1.
12/31/16: In this analyst's opinion, Kizer is the top quarterback prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft. He has a better physical skill set than Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson. Some league sources have told me they think Kizer will be a high first-rounder, though others are not enthusiastic about Kizer. Still, he's expected to go early in Round 1 and has announced he will enter the 2017 NFL Draft. One playoff general manager told me Kizer has the tools to be the prototypical quarterback prospect but never seems to put everything together and doesn't win.



And this is what we are getting from the TOP prospect at QB in this class. So let me rephrase that... Its a bad QB class unless you see your team as still 3-5 years short of being a contender.

 

[ehb5]

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Height: 6-4. Weight: 230.
Projected 40 Time: 4.70.
Projected Round (2017): 1.
12/31/16: In this analyst's opinion, Kizer is the top quarterback prospect for the 2017 NFL Draft. He has a better physical skill set than Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson. Some league sources have told me they think Kizer will be a high first-rounder, though others are not enthusiastic about Kizer. Still, he's expected to go early in Round 1 and has announced he will enter the 2017 NFL Draft. One playoff general manager told me Kizer has the tools to be the prototypical quarterback prospect but never seems to put everything together and doesn't win.



And this is what we are getting from the TOP prospect at QB in this class. So let me rephrase that... Its a bad QB class unless you see your team as still 3-5 years short of being a contender.

Im assuming this is from WalterFootball in which case you can throw that take in the trash. Its a nice resource for seeing who's in a draft class but that dude says some crazy stuff. Saying Kizer "doesnt win" should be evidence enough that his opinion is just a bunch of words.

Kizer and Watson are solid prospects. Mahomes is interesting with lots of upside if not pro ready. Allen also has a ton of upside all though I think most people think he should stay in school another year. And theres a couple other guys I know less about. Im not a fan of Trubisky though.

I wouldnt say I love this QB class but its not awful. Some interesting guys.

 

[Stymietee]

SO you want to blow $24m AND a top draft pick on the position. And what happens if prime draft pick turns out to be 2 or three years away?? Do we then pay Kirk $34M to be the place holder again??

Never mind that this year is apparently a bad year for QBs in the draft. Thats beside the point. You want to burn no less than $24M and ANOTHER high draft pick on the QB position....

Chasing elite at its best.

You have said many occasions that there is plenty of money to do certain things and improve defense, well, why not get rid of dead weight while we do that. Using that second rounder is going to happen one way or the other and if this team as my caveat pointed out chooses to franchise Kirk again, the message is at that point clear. Why do you believe that they wasted (IMO) a draft pick on Sudfield a year ago?

If said, draftee needs 2 or 3 years to prepare then all we have done is substitute one project for another. At that point you fire people who mis-scouted him, and/or "wasted" a high pick on a scrub. C'mon man admit it, it's shit or rise time for this organization!! I choose rise but, that requires some very shrewd smart people doing some brilliant things instead of what we have unfortunately become too accustomed to here in DC.

 

[Sharkinva]

Im assuming this is from WalterFootball in which case you can throw that take in the trash. Its a nice resource for seeing who's in a draft class but that dude says some crazy stuff. Saying Kizer "doesnt win" should be evidence enough that his opinion is just a bunch of words.

Kizer and Watson are solid prospects. Mahomes is interesting with lots of upside if not pro ready. Allen also has a ton of upside all though I think most people think he should stay in school another year. And theres a couple other guys I know less about. Im not a fan of Trubisky though.

I wouldnt say I love this QB class but its not awful. Some interesting guys.

Well that settles it, we shouldnt even consider signing Kirk, lets go with the its not awful and might be interesting option. WINNER!!!!

 

[ehb5]

Well that settles it, we shouldnt even consider signing Kirk, lets go with the its not awful and might be interesting option. WINNER!!!!

Im sorry? Did I miss something?

 

[Stymietee]

BTW: Unless I misunderstood you (that's very possible) any attempts to upgrade at QB is just "chasing elite at it's best" right? Then why bother at all? To hell, with trying, let just all resign ourselves to mediocre or bottom of the pack teams until forever again.

 

[Stymietee]

Where are you planning on drafting this guy? 4th round? 6th round? or 1st round?

Second round...you generally get 2-3 year projects at QB in those later rounds if you're extremely lucky, more skilled players in the earlier rounds with a greater chance at quick success once in a good training system. This is why the hiring of Matt Cavanaugh was extremely important for this organization .

 

[Buffalo_Nickel_1]