Cousins: I'll prioritize winning over money if I hit free agency

Kirk Cousins wants to get paid, but his desire to win is apparently his top priority after missing the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

The Redskins quarterback will likely either receive the franchise tag for the third straight season (at a sky-high cost of $34 million) or be allowed to test the open market, where he's all but certain to receive the long-term deal Washington's been reluctant to give him.

And if does become a free agent, Cousins said Tuesday on "PFT Live" he's willing to make financial "sacrifices" to ensure on-field success.

"Is money a part of it? Sure. Is it the only thing? No," Cousins said, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "It is about winning, and that's what I want more than anything, so I'm going to be willing to make sacrifices or do what has to be done to make sure I'm in the best possible position to win, and that's what the focus is going to be."

Cousins' murky future has dominated the Redskins' landscape for the past few years, and he would probably be the most sought-after free agent if he's allowed to walk this offseason.

As his career crossroads approaches, the veteran pivot was hesitant to hint at what path he expects to take.

"We'll see where it ends," Cousins said of his career in Washington. "It may end this March, it may end years from now. Who knows?"