Garcon: I don't know why Redskins won't commit to Cousins
Kirk Cousins and the Redskins are tethered together for the 2017 season thanks to Washington using the franchise tag on the quarterback for the second straight season. But beyond this campaign, Cousins' future with the franchise remains in doubt, as there's been no significant movement on a long-term contract ahead of the July 17 deadline.
The Redskins' refusal to commit to Cousins after two solid seasons as the starter has been perplexing, and even one of the veteran pivot's favorite targets over that time has no clue as to why Washington has been reluctant to open up its checkbook.
Related: The cases for and against giving Kirk Cousins an extension
Pierre Garcon, who joined the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, had no answers on the matter during a Monday appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio.
"I don't know, man," Garcon said when asked if he was surprised Cousins has yet to receive a long-term extension, according to Conor Orr of NFL.com. "I wish I had the answer. But like you said, Kirk, he's got to be consistent. He's moving the ball up and down the field, he's making plays for us, he's been doing it for a long time. He is the guy that's helped us make those playoff runs. He's done a lot of things great for us, but I don't know why he's not the long-term answer there."
If the Redskins' perceived lack of faith in Cousins ultimately leads to him being traded elsewhere, Garcon's 49ers have been rumored as the most likely landing spot. The wide receiver wouldn't be the only familiar face in San Francisco for Cousins, as his former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, was brought in as the 49ers' new head coach this offseason.
"That's so far-fetched, I'm not even worried about that right now," Garcon said on a potential reunion with Cousins. "We got this season to go. We got our first game against the Carolina Panthers, and that's who we're focused on right now to tell you the truth."
The Redskins' decision to wait to reward Cousins could backfire. If Washington wants to lock him up for the foreseeable future, it will likely have to either match or exceed the record five-year, $125-million contract given to Derek Carr by the Oakland Raiders on June 22.