Kirk Cousins Needs a Big contract
The Redskins’ quarterback was franchise tagged yesterday, but deserves much more
Kirk Cousins has officially been franchise tagged. While the Redskins do get keep Cousins, they only get him for one year — a time where Cousins will only become more valuable. Despite the Redskins missing the playoffs last season, Cousins has proved his worth as a starter in his four years in the league. Cousins finished 3rd in the league in passing yards (4,917), 8th in completion percentage (67%), and 7th in passer rating (97.1). Cousins has now had back-to-back stellar seasons, proving he is capable of being a great quarterback in the league.
Not only has Cousins ranked in the top tier of QB’s in the past two seasons, he has also broken multiple franchise records in his two years as a starter. He broke the franchise record for passing yards and completions in a season in 2015 with 4,166 yards and 379 completions — and then broke those again in 2016, throwing 4,917 yards and completing 406 passes.
The Redskins might have placed a franchise tag on Cousins to buy more time. They used an exclusive franchise tag, meaning they have until July 15 to try and work out a multi-year contract. If they do not reach a deal there will be no more offers until the end of the 2017 season. The Redskins need to pay up because Cousins is a far better option than anyone coming into the draft. With the lack of talent in this year’s draft, Washington might lose their chance of winning and competing in the NFC East. Free agency will not do the Redskins any justice either because they will end up paying big or end up signing an aging veteran. With Cousins at quarterback, the Redskins have half of what it takes to make a deep playoff run. What they are missing is more talent at receiver positions. The Skins have a solid team on both sides of the ball, but without a quarterback like Cousins at the helm, they don’t stand a chance in a competitive NFC East.
There is no better time to sign Cousins long-term than right now. The quarterback is only going to get more expensive if he continues doing what he does best. By next year it might be too late, and Kirk Cousins might be too expensive for Washington to keep around. The Redskins need to stop making excuses and lock up Cousins long-term. He has done more than enough to prove his ability to play at a high level, and if he ends up on another team, the Redskins are risking success on offense with lack of QB talent in the draft.
The Redskins should look at the draft as an opportunity to find players that compliment Kirk. If they can spend $50 million on a cornerback, they can certainly consider paying their most valuable player his worth. It’s only fair, right?
