Redskins: Cousins offered highest guarantee for QB, received no counter

While the Washington Redskins did not reach a long-term agreement with Kirk Cousins before Monday's deadline, they did offer him the highest amount of guaranteed salary to a quarterback at signing, according to a statement from president Bruce Allen.

Allen said the Redskins offered Cousins a contract that guarantee him $53 million at the time of his signing and a total of $72 million for injury guarantees on May 2. The statement said the $53-million guarantee would be the most for a quarterback in NFL history, though according to Spotrac, Eli Manning received $54 million guaranteed at the time of his signing.

As pointed out by CBS' Will Brinson, the $53 million in guarantees isn't much more than Cousins would make by playing under the franchise tag in 2017 and under the transition tag in 2018.

Cousins' agent did not return an offer to the team this year, and the Redskins believe he has made it clear the quarterback wishes to play on a year-to-year basis. Cousins is set to make just under $24 million in 2017 playing under the franchise tag for the second year in a row.

The Redskins remain hopeful they will be able to sign Cousins to a long-term contract after the 2017 season.

The full statement can be read below.

This appears to be a tactical public relations move by Washington, who also leaked information about former GM Scot McCloughan having a drinking problem after firing him in March.