I think you are giving the Redskins too much credit. More likely than not they just botched the situation because they are an incompetent franchise.
The Chiefs wanted to get the 17MM of their books before free agency started. The Redskins absolutely overpaid considering the Chiefs had to get rid of him.
It could just be bad blood. Cousins may have made it known that he won't sign with the Skins long-term, and it was cost prohibitive for the Skins to franchise him again. With SF & Washington out of the Cousins market, he's lost a lot of negotiating leverage.
Or he didn't want to be there and $34.5 million is alot of money to pay a player who refused to sign a long term deal with you.
Don't forget the Redskins attempted to sign him long term twice and he turned down what was the largest guaranteed contract ever at the time. Negotiations haven't gone well and they likely would have had to tag him. But giving up the pick and top rated slot defender for Smith seems like alot.
I guess I understand the trade from the Skins perspective but the deal they gave Smith after making the trade has disaster written all over it. I don't believe the Skins can use the transition tag on Cousins at this point since it is his third tag in a row. However if they can use it they could transition tag him to maintain rights and then either get the picks if somebody signed him or rescind the tag at their leisure. Cousins isn't going to sign the tag because it would lock him into Washington next season since you cannot trade a player who is tagged. I think the Skins have to give him the exclusive tag under the CBA but I'm not sure. Also if they transition tag Cousins and he chooses to sign the tag right away the Skins are totally screwed next year, since they cannot trade Cousins and they will find nobody willing to pick up the ridiculous contract they gave Smith.
The way I see it the top destinations for Kirk Cousins are the following teams: 1. Denver Broncos 2. Jacksonville Jaguars 3. Arizona Cardinals 4. Minnesota Vikings 5. New York Jets Longshot Teams 6. Buffalo Bills 7. New Orleans Saints (Brees to Broncos or Jags) 8. Cleveland Browns
My guess is Mahomes is going to be really good, but let's just see him play before we start throwing around the term "franchise QB." Listen, I would have loved if the Jets had drafted Mahomes instead of Adams (who I like). And, again, I think you are going to be right about Mahomes. But, let him develop and prove himself first.
No chance Washington tags cousins now. If they did he would jump on it, $34.5 million guaranteed to be a backup, 25 mill to Smith. What team is going to give up 2 first round picks and $34.5 million for a 1 year rental. $60 mill tied up at the QB position and not even a chance to make the playoffs...... Every penny of their cap space would be gone plus about 7 million. They would have to cut,trade or restructure deals just to sign the draft class.
God please forbid this means Mac is going to go after Kirk Cousins? If he does? This administration is DONE. They will never survive the albatross contract they will have to give him and the end result will be the Jets finding themselves in that mediocrity cesspool. It will be another failed front office just like ALL of the idiots prior to them. The jets will spend the next 6, 7, maybe as much as 8 years going 8-8, 9-7, or 10-6. They could possibly make the playoffs but never host a playoff game and they will be one and done every season. It will prove what many of us have suspected for a long time now..... That Mac is another incompetent jerk off just like every other failure before him
We're out of draft position for one of the top QBs this year, barring a miracle. If they don't at least attempt to get this guy, what's the alternative? He's a proven commodity in a scarce market. The FO will never survive drafting another Hackenberg, or placing its hopes on Mccown. That being said, I don't see it happening. Too bad.
So Cousins is certainly a free agent. I’m expecting a very heavy pursuit by the jets to land Cousins. He recently commented on Jeremy Bates in an interview with the new afternoon drive show for WFAN saying “Speaking on WFAN's Afternoon Drive show with Chris Carlin, Bart Scott, and Maggie Gray, Cousins said he initially met Bates in the pre-draft process, six years ago, before Washington took him in the fourth round. "I actually met Jeremy when he was Jay Cutler's quarterback coach in Chicago," Cousins said. "That was in the draft, coming out in 2012. And I really liked him then. I just think he's a good football mind. Everybody I've talked to who knows him loves him. I think it was a smart hire by the Jets, and wish him well in what he does." Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In the 2012 draft the Redskins traded 3 number 1 picks and a 2nd, to St Louis in order to draft RG3, yet in the very same draft took Kirk Cousins in the 4th round. Seems like the smarter move would've been to invest that pick in a player that might help the QB that he just paid a kings ransom to draft. It takes 2 sides to agree to a contract. Maybe Cousins looked at how poorly the Redskins are run and never wanted to be there long term. I think Cousins has played his hand perfectly...
