Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that the Redskins are not expected to sign franchise QB Kirk Cousins to a long-term extension before Monday’s 4 pm EST deadline.
Schefter admits that Washington could still make a last-minute push to try to get a deal done by the Monday deadline, but Cousins fully intends to play this season under the franchise tag.
According to Schefter, there has been a “positive, constructive tone” to recent contract talks between the two parties, but Cousins prefers to wait to do a deal at this time.
All indications have been that the two parties weren’t going to be able to get an agreement in place by Monday, so this shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
Cousins could end up being transitioned tagged next year by the Redskins, which would give them the opportunity to match any offer he receives. However, they run the risk that a team could front-load a contract and prevent them from matching. Beyond that, should they lose Cousins to another team, they wouldn’t receive a future compensatory pick for him.
Of course, the Redskins could always tag Cousins for a third time at the cost of around $34 million if they wanted to go that route.
Cousins, 28, is a former fourth-round pick of the Redskins back in 2012. He played out the final year of his four-year, $2,572,688 rookie contract that included a $472,688 signing bonus when Washington elected to use the franchise tag on Cousins that paid him $19.953 million fully guaranteed for the 2016 season.
The Redskins franchised him for the second year in a row this past February and he’s now set to make $23.94 million fully guaranteed for the 2017 season.
In 2016, Cousins has appeared in all 16 games and thrown for 4,917 yards while completing 67 percent of his passes to go along with 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 8 quarterback out of 36 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding a new deal for Cousins as the news is available.
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