Talk of Cousins landing with 49ers continues to heat up

The possibility of the San Francisco 49ers making a blockbuster trade to address the most important position on the field appears to be gaining steam by the day.

Referencing a mutual interest between both player and team, Mike Silver of NFL Media said during a television appearance Tuesday that he believes it's "more likely than not" Kirk Cousins ends up as the 49ers' new quarterback.

To be clear, the comment was framed more so as an educated guess than a report. There is plenty of time for San Francisco to swing such a deal, and as Silver added, such an arrangement could even take shape in 2018.

But the NFL Network segment certainly adds to a major storyline as free agency approaches.

Signs pointing toward a trade have quietly been mounting ever since it became clear that the Washington Redskins would use the franchise tag on Cousins for the second time in as many years.

Though a long-term contract to keep him in Washington once seemed to be a foregone conclusion, the continued lack of progress to that end hints that at least one of the two sides isn't all that high on the possibility.

Landing in San Francisco has to be among the most desirable destinations for Cousins looking to the future, as reuniting with Kyle Shanahan would provide him with the opportunity to lead an offense that can make the most of his skill set.

Any trade would involve significant draft compensation being sent to Washington. Whether that includes the No. 2 overall pick, a swap of first-rounders, or another large package of selections, the Redskins could use that return to target a new quarterback of the future.

Cousins completed 67 percent of his attempts for 4,917 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in leading a second-ranked Washington pass offense in 2016.