Report: Redskins could try to trade Kirk Cousins
One report says the Washington Redskins could try to trade Kirk Cousins before he becomes a free agent, though the possibility of them doing so would take some maneuvering.
Washington DC media personality Grant Paulsen, a host on 106.7 The Fan in DC, said on Twitter Saturday night that opposing teams believe the Redskins could try to trade Cousins.
The Kirk Cousins saga may not be over. I'm told that rival teams talking with Redskins brass believe Bruce Allen and Washington could make a concerted effort to trade the QB, preventing Cousins from hitting the open market.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 4, 2018
Cousins would not officially become a free agent until the new league year begins in March. Washington has franchise-tagged him two seasons in a row and could for a third season, which would lead to him being paid nearly $30 million for the 2018 season. If they franchise-tagged him, then they could trade him to another team and he’d be under contract for one year. But there are a few problems there: Cousins would have to sign his tender, and another team would have to take the risk that he would show up to play for them. A team like Cleveland might be interested in this possibility since they appear unlikely to land him in free agency.
Also, teams would only be willing to give up a fair amount for Cousins in a trade if they had pre-negotiated a long-term contract with him.
Washington’s quarterback situation is mostly resolved since they acquired Alex Smith in a trade with the Chiefs. After playing contractual games with Cousins for the last few seasons, they should probably just let the guy enjoy his free agency. But the mere suggestion that Washington would try to trade him is another example of how much they’ve messed with him. Cousins reportedly has this NFC team No. 1 on his list.
