Redskins GM wants Cousins on long-term deal, unsure if it can happen in 2016

Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has consistently said the team wants to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal, but whether or not it can happen before the July 15 deadline is up in the air.

"I can't answer that. I don't know for sure, but we would love to get it done," McCloughan said when asked about the deadline by Pro Football Talk. "We would love to get it done but you're well aware of how the business works. He's our leader on offense, he's our quarterback. He won the (NFC) East for us last year, a 16-game quarterback, took us to the playoffs."

Cousins himself appears content to play out the franchise tag and begin negotiations after this year, saying if a deal is going to get done in the offseason "the ball is in (the Redskins') court."

That's a notion McCloughan doesn't completely agree with.

"But it takes two sides to come together and it is a big contract and it's gonna be a long-term contract," McCloughan said. "The years, the money and the incentives, all that stuff comes into play. But it's ongoing. I really believe, talking with Kirk and of course myself and our organization, we want to get a long-term deal done. He wants to be here, he sees what's going on, the positive energy, and it's a business. It takes time these long-term deals, big deals like this."

Both sides are gambling under the franchise tag, with Cousins holding all the bargaining power should he have a great season and the Redskins looking for a discount should he regress.