Kirk Cousins Expected to be Tagged by Washington Redskins
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Redskins are expected to retain quarterback Kirk Cousins. The team is expected to use either a franchise or transition tag on the 27-year old quarterback.
A franchise tag for a quarterback in 2015 was approximately $18.51 million. A transition tag will allow the Redskins “the right of first refusal to match any offer the player may make with another team.”
The team is expected to let former second overall pick Robert Griffin III go and give the reigns to Cousins for the long term.
Redskins are tagging QB Kirk Cousins, per league source. Only decision left is whether team uses franchise or transition tag on him.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2016
Cousins was drafted in the same draft as Robert Griffin III back in 2012 in the fourth round out of Michigan State. Once Griffin went down with injuries Cousins came in and established himself as a decent NFL quarterback.
With 950 career passing attempts, Cousins has a 65.2 completion percentage, 47 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, 7,196 yards, and a 91.3 passer rating.
Cousins holds the franchise record for completions in a game with 33, a record he set last season as the full time starter. He is also set the Washington Redskins single–season record for completions (379) and yardage (4,166) in the same year.
Washington still has multiple free agents to lock up heading into the offseason. Running back Alfred Morris, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and linebacker Junior Gallette highlight the class.
They hold a very limited amount of cap space, meaning players such as Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson could become cap casualties. According to Spotrac, the Redskins have only $7.9 million left for their 2016 cap. Jackson is owed $9.25 million and Garcon accounts for $10.2 million. Cutting those two alone could save the team over $15 million.