Cousins signs franchise tender, eligible to be traded

Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins signed his franchise tender Friday morning, his agent announced.

Doing so locks in a salary of $23.94 million in 2017. It will also allow the Redskins to trade Cousins, though the latest reports suggest the team has no intention of doing so.

Cousins made about $20 million playing under the tag in 2016, and now will add nearly $24 million more to his bank account. That's certainly not chump change, but it's fair for Cousins to desire a long-term deal after the numbers he's put up.

Cousins is rumored to want out of Washington, with a reunion with former coach Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco an obvious potential destination, but to date the Redskins haven't budged from their stance that they want to hold onto their passer.

To do so beyond 2017 will likely require a long-term extension. Tagging Cousins for a third consecutive season would cost the Redskins upward of $34 million in guaranteed money for the 2018 season.