Most NFL players hate when teams use the franchise tag on them, as it significantly reduces their leverage and prevents them from from testing the open market. Kirk Cousins apparently is not most NFL players.
ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that Cousins would actually prefer if Washington uses the franchise tag on him again.
At this point, Kirk Cousins believes in his best interests for #Redskins to use franchise tag on him 2nd time to ensure never happens again
— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) February 27, 2017
Teams can technically use the franchise tag on the same player three times, but they get a 20 percent raise over the previous year’s salary the second time and a 44 percent raise over that number the third time. If Cousins plays under the tag again in 2017, he would make a guaranteed salary of $23.94 million. That means his franchise number for 2018 would be around $35 million for one season, which no one is going to pay.
Cousins reportedly has no intention of signing a long-term deal before Wednesday’s franchise tag deadline, as he would rather negotiate a contract after Washington is forced to pay him a minimum of $23.94 million for 2017. His logic is explained in further detail here.
There have been rumblings that Cousins does not even want to remain in Washington, so perhaps he wants to collect a big paycheck for 2017 and then move on. The franchise tag standing in the way of a long-term deal may be something Cousins actually prefers, which makes his situation unique.
