MINNEAPOLIS — The Kirk Cousins- saga might not be over after all.
The team reportedly has had internal discussions about using the franchise tag on Cousins to trade him and recover some form of compensation that was lost in their acquisition of Kansas City quarterback . But doing so would put Washington’s front office in a tricky situation, with Cousins able to wield some control on the trade process.
By tagging Cousins, who is expected to be the most coveted quarterback in free agency, the Redskins would prevent him from hitting the open market when the new league year opens on March 14. But Washington wouldn’t be able to trade Cousins until he signs the franchise tag, and therein lies the rub.
Cousins could slow-play the entire process because until he signs the tag, he can’t be traded and the $34.5 million will be on the Redskins’ books. That means the organization won’t be able to spend at all in free agency and improve the roster before the April NFL draft.
The team went 7-9 in Jay Gruden’s fourth year as head coach.
Several quarterback-needy teams are expected to make a run at Cousins if he becomes a true unrestricted free agent, including the , and . But if the Redskins tag Cousins, the quarterback could drag out the signing process to gauge the market. Unless potential trade partners view his value at the franchise tag amount, Cousins ultimately could say he’s unwilling to sign a long-term deal, a maneuver would significantly hamstring the Redskins’ attempt to trade him and secure a top draft pick as compensation.
Although Super Bowl LII kicks off Sunday in Minnesota, the Redskins have dominated much of the talk around the league following the Smith trade, which resulted in Washington giving up a third-round pick and up-and-coming cornerback Kendall Fuller in exchange for the 33-year-old Smith. And now, another chapter could be added to the ongoing Cousins saga.
NFL teams can start designating franchise- and transition-tag players on Feb. 20. And Washington could again choose to go down this road with Cousins, tagging him for an unprecedented third straight year.
