NFL Notes: Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens & Redskins

Jaguars

Jaguars QB Blake Bortles said he has “no idea” if the Jaguars will pick up his fifth-year option in the coming months.

“I have no idea,” Bortles said, via Jacksonville.com. “I honestly couldn’t tell you if it’s a good thing or a bad thing if it’s picked up or not. I’ll play football here in Jacksonville for as long as they want me to, so hopefully I’m allowed to do that.”

Panthers

• Panthers GM Dave Gettleman said he has “no concerns” about ILB Luke Kuechly‘s health after he was sidelined with a concussion this year. (Steve Reed)

Ravens

• Ravens HC John Harbaugh told reporters on Tuesday that they have an opening at quarterback coach with several in mind to interview this week. (Jeff Zrebiec)
• Harbaugh didn’t rule out the possibility of cutting some veteran players, saying: “Absolutely everything has to be on the table.” (Jeff Zrebiec)

Redskins

Redskins impending free agent QB Kirk Cousins mentioned during an interview with Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on 106.7 The Fan that he has no plans to push for “every dollar possible” in a long-term contract.

“I’ve got to preface this by saying I’m not trying to suck out every dollar possible,” Cousins said, via the Washington Post. “That’s just not the kind of guy I am or the way I’m going to approach it. I understand, like Scot McCloughan understands, like Jay Gruden understands, it’s all about winning football games. To have a platform to make a difference ultimately, which is what I want to do with my life, we’ve got to win football games. When you’re highly paid and your losing, no one really cares what you have to say. First of all, I think a lot of it goes down to the percentage of the salary cap. If the salary cap was much, much higher, then quarterbacks could make much, much more and it wouldn’t hurt the team. So the cap is really determining everything, so it’s not so much a dollar amount as it is a percentage of the cap. How much of the apple are you really taking, regardless of the dollar amount that it is? That percentage is what my agent has always, and will always, focus on and negotiate off of. That’s what he’s explained to me.”

Cousins explained that there are other considerations when it comes to looking to be paid a market-value contract.

“Secondly, there are other quarterbacks that come after you, and it would be almost a selfish move to hurt future quarterbacks who get in position to have a contract,” Cousins said. “If you don’t take a deal that’s fair to you, then you’re also taking a deal that’s not fair to them, and you’re setting them back as well. So, there’s different reasons and you do the best you can. Frankly, once you sign the contract, there’s no law saying you can’t renegotiate. If you sign the deal and you end up coming away from two seasons saying, ‘Hey, not only did we not win, but I think the reason is that I’m taking too much,’ then you can always talk about changing that. But I don’t see a need to do that on the front end. If you can win football games and play well and play at a high level still making a fair number, then why do you need to predetermine that and go down? I think for all those reasons you want to find your value and then be able to play off that accordingly.”