Washington decided on Tuesday to use the exclusive franchise tag on Kirk Cousins, but that does not necessarily mean the quarterback will remain with the team in 2017.
There have been rumblings for weeks that the San Francisco 49ers could be interested in acquiring Cousins, and Mark Maske of the Washington Post notes that a trade is still a possibility.
The exclusive franchise tag does not preclude Redskins from trading Cousins. Prospective deal with Niners and Kyle Shanahan remains in play.
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) February 28, 2017
One reporter expects the 49ers to “push hard” to get Cousins.
Expect 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan to push hard to trade for his former Redskins protege. Redskins now forced to consider any reasonable offer https://t.co/9fPjefKhwx
— Jim Corbett (@ByJimCorbett) February 28, 2017
ESPN’s John Keim reported on Monday that the 49ers are the only team Cousins is willing to sign a long-term deal with at the moment, and that includes Washington. The belief is that Cousins intends to sign the franchise tag and play out the 2017 season if Washington doesn’t trade him. Between playing under the franchise tag in 2016 and 2017, he will have made over $40 million guaranteed without even signing a long-term deal yet.
Cousins and new 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan have a relationship dating back to when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington. If there is any truth to this surprising report, Washington might be better off trading Cousins now rather than seeing him walk next offseason and having nothing to show for it.
