The Washington Redskins are closing in on a decision regarding quarterback Kirk Cousins and have decided to use either the franchise tag or transition tag to retain his services, according to published reports Friday.
The Redskins have until March 1 to apply one of the tags. Using the franchise tag would lock Cousins in for a $19.6 million salary in 2016 while the transition tag would be worth $17.5 million.
The NFL Network reported that Washington hasn’t ruled out tagging and trading Cousins.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reported that Washington has not made a decision on whether to tag Cousins. The source added that the current plan is to not use the franchise tag.
The Redskins and Cousins’ representatives have been unable to agree on a long-term extension. Without an agreement, Cousins will become a free agent on March 9.
“I would love to do a long-term deal with Kirk,” Washington general manager Scot McCloughan said at the NFL Scouting Combine this week. “But I’m not going to ruin the organization financially to do it.”
Even if the Redskins apply one of the tags, the two sides would still have until July 15 to sign a long-term extension. That is McCloughan’s preferred outcome.
But Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, will have a say in that as well. McCloughan said he met with Cousins in his office at Redskins Park last week even as reports surfaced that talks between the two sides had stalled.
“It’s a business. And we’ve got to go with what we’re going with,” McCloughan said. “It’s not about the individual. It’s the sum of the parts. There’s 52 other guys. Not saying the same talent level or same kind of financial investment. But I’ve got to make sure the organization is taken care of. But I want Kirk here and Kirk wants to be here. I think there’s a way we can get to that point.”
The Redskins could choose to let Cousins test the open market if using the franchise tag is arduous. But there are enough NFL teams desperate for help at the quarterback position that the move would pose a serious risk. Whatever happens financially, the Redskins believe Cousins is set to build on last season’s breakthrough season.
The Redskins also have held trade discussions with two different teams involving quarterback Robert Griffin III, ESPN reported.
Griffin would have to agree to a new contract with the team that trades for him. Washington recently picked up Griffin’s $16.15 million option for 2016 but is expected to release him before March 9 if it is unable to trade him.
Griffin lost the starting quarterback job to Cousins last season. Cousins passed for 4,166 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2015 in his first full season as a starter.