Redskins GM won't sign Cousins at expense of other good, young players

Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan says he wants to re-sign quarterback Kirk Cousins to a long-term extension, but not if it means he can't afford to pay the team's young prospects.

"(You've) got to step back and say 'Okay, who do we have next year? (Are) there three to five to seven guys that we want to extend prior to the last year of their deal, or do we want to go after one and know we’re going to lose three or four next year?" McCoughan replied to a question about Cousins on SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio, according to Dan Steinberg of The Washington Post.

"So it’s a fine line, and like I said, it’s tough, but that’s why we do this," McCloughan continued. "It’s the market. The NFL’s a phenomenal, phenomenal entity, and the money’s incredible. But the way I look at it is I want Kirk in a long-term deal, no doubt about it, but also I’m not gonna put our franchise in a situation where we’re gonna lose three or four younger guys that I think are gonna be good football players for one guy. I won’t do it. You know, that’s just how it is.

"And the quarterback position’s very very important, but you know what, so is every other position," McCloughan added. “We need football players. We need multiple football players, not one."

The Redskins and Cousins never appeared close to an extension before last week's deadline. Cousins will play the 2016 season under the franchise tag and earn $19.953 million.

The two parties are expected to resume contract talks after the season. Depending how Cousins' 2016 campaign goes, the Redskins could feel by then they have no choice but to lock him up to a big-money deal even if it means letting some of their young prospects go.

Then again, McCoughan could decide his team has too much young talent to break up and opt instead to look for a cheaper quarterback option.