Redskins' Cousins 'very content' to play under franchise tag in 2016
There has been few indications that quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins aren't any closer to agreeing upon a long-term deal than they were when they club slapped him with the exclusive franchise tag on March 1.
However, Cousins doesn't appear fazed by the lack of progress in their talks, as he told told ESPN’s Jim Trotter in an interview this week that he's comfortable playing under the tag next season if that's what's necessary to prove himself as the Redskins' franchise quarterback.
"I'm very content in the situation I'm in, and love the opportunity to prove myself again next season," Cousins said, according to Dan Steinberg the Washington Post. "I feel like it's only fair, if that's what’s asked of me, to go out and prove that I ought to be a starting quarterback. And that's okay with me."
Cousins is slated to earn $19.95 million under the tag next season, which is around the going yearly rate for a franchise quarterback in the NFL at present.
The 27-year-old had a breakout season in 2015, but there appears to be concerns that his play was an aberration, meaning Washington could use the franchise tag to make Cousins prove he isn't a one-year wonder before committing the future of their organization - not to mention tens of millions in guaranteed money - to him.
"You know, I never played football thinking about money," Cousins told Trotter. "And going forward, I never want to play football thinking about money, and that's why I think it’s important for me to play with a salary that’s just locked in.
"You know, I don't want to be thinking about individual accomplishments or awards that would boost my salary or up my numbers," Cousins added. "I just want to go out and play football and try to win games. So I think discussions are always ongoing, and they're never really finished. It's a process, and I think much like preparing for a football game is a process, negotiations often work that way. But I'm not too worried about it."
Redskins president Bruce Allen said talks will heat up again once free agency begins to die down, but with a quarterback contract being the most complex in the league - especially for relatively young and unproven ones - negotiations could extend well into the offseason.