Washington Redskins should trade Kirk Cousins

By Andrew Long | Feb 19, 2015

During a press conference at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, Jay Gruden was asked who the starting quarterback of the Washington Redskins would be next season. Seeing as how Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, and Colt McCoy all started last season, it’s a fair question. The head coach quickly killed any chance of a QB controversy and stated that the job belongs to RG3.

Gruden said, “Robert ended the season as our starter and we anticipate that going forward.” The head coach would go on to say, “We’ll go into the season with Robert as the number 1 guy, obviously. And then it’s up to Robert to grow and mature as a quarterback and as a person. And, uh, moving forward, just want to see an improvement. It’s up to us as a staff to get more out of him.”

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In my opinion, announcing RG3 as the starter is a good move for the Redskins. It’s good for the mental aspect of Griffin’s game, as it will surely reduce the amount of pressure that he endures from the outside media and football fans. It will allow him to focus on his game instead of what people are saying about him and his peers.

By naming Griffin the starter, Washington has effectively taken the first step to ending the quarterback controversy that plagued the franchise last season. The next step is trading backup quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Earlier this offseason, WRC-TV’s Diana Russini had the opportunity to talk with Cousins. In a series of tweets, Russini stated that Cousins wants there to be a competition for the starting QB gig and would prefer to be traded if there isn’t. “Isn’t it obvious I couldn’t stay here?” Cousins asked.

It’s a move that would make sense for both parties involved. The Redskins would be ridding themselves of potential drama and Cousins would be given the opportunity to prove his worth elsewhere. He’s a solid quarterback and deserves the chance.

Selected in the 4th round in 2012, Cousins was essentially drafted as an insurance policy to RG3. Since entering the league, Cousins has appeared in 14 games for the Redskins, 9 of which were starts; he is 2-7 as a starter.

Up until this point in his career, Cousins has thrown for 3,030 yards, 18 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Out of his 407 pass attempts; he has completed 204 of them, or 59%.

Cousins’ statistics aren’t glamorous by any means, but they’re good enough to warrant attention. His interception totals are high and his completion percentage is low. Both of those things can be fixed; Cousins is only 26 and has room to grow.

Cousins possesses good size, as he is 6-3 and 202 pounds. For the most part, he goes through his progressions and shows the pocket presence required to succeed as a pocket passer. On top of his in-pocket abilities, Cousins is sneaky fast and is capable of getting himself out of tough situations.

In my opinion, the positives outweigh the negatives. He possesses the physical attributes that teams desire and has shown, in flashes, that he has the ability to succeed in the NFL. With that being said, Cousins’ trade value is up in the air.

In May of 2014, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweeted that the Washington Redskins declined a trade offer from the Cleveland Browns. The Browns were willing to ship a 4th rounder to the Redskins in exchange for Cousins. After throwing for 1,710 yards, 10 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 2014, Cousins’ value likely remains the same.

If a team offers a 4th or 5th rounder in exchange for Kirk Cousins, I firmly believe that the Redskins should accept the offer. Like I said earlier, it’s a move that would benefit both parties. Cousins would get a fresh start and Washington would receive a mid-to-late round draft pick. More importantly, it would reduce the drama that surrounds the quarterback position in Washington.

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