Washington Redskins wise to tag Kirk Cousins
By Andrew Long
One of the more interesting quarterback dilemmas in the NFL is taking place at the headquarters of the Washington Redskins, as they have two quarterbacks on their roster that are garnering large amounts of attention, most notably Kirk Cousins with his contract situation.
The Washington Redskins, according to a tweet sent out by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, will tag Kirk Cousins for the upcoming 2016 NFL season, as the two sides haven’t been able to nail down a long term contract. While general manager Scot McCloughan has repeatedly stated that he wants to lock up the young signal caller with a multi-year contract, I honestly believe that tagging Cousins for the 2016 season is the best option for both sides moving forward.
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A lot of people view tagging a player as a negative option, but, realistically, it’s a move that benefits the team and the player in question. The team gets the obvious benefit of locking up a talented player, a move that will keep said player from hitting the open market, while the player benefits by securing a big payday and a chance to prove that he’s worth such a salary on a regular basis.
With the Redskins making the decision to tag Kirk Cousins for the 2016 season, the 27-year-old quarterback is in line (according to ESPN) to receive some serious cash, as the transition tag will earn him $17.69 million for the year, while the full-blown franchise tag will reward him with $19.95 million. The transition tag will reward Cousins with a salary comparable to Matthew Stafford‘s of the Detroit Lions, with the franchise tag putting him into a category that includes Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.
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The numbers that Brees and Cousins posted in 2016 are actually quite similar in terms of yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and completion percentages. Brees threw for 4,870 yards with 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and completed 68.3 percent of his passes. On the other hand, Cousins accumulated 4,166 yards with 29 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and connected on 69.8 percent of his passes.
The fact that Brees and Cousins sported similar numbers actually makes a lot of sense because, in my opinion, both players have a similar game. The quarterbacks rely heavily on their accuracy and ability to read opposing defenses to move the ball down the field, this is largely because of the amount of arm strength that they possess.
This isn’t to say their arms are weak or incapable of throwing the deep ball, though. Both players have ample arm strength to stretch the field, but more so rely on their smarts and touch to pick apart opposing defenses.
While it’s incredibly impressive that Kirk Cousins was able to post numbers comparable to that of Brees’ in his first season as a full-time starter under center, I believe that tagging him for the 2016 season is the right decision. Yes, the Washington Redskins will have to pay him a hefty amount this season, but doing so will save them from a buyer’s remorse situation.
To be very clear, I firmly believe that Cousins is the answer for the Redskins at quarterback moving forward. With that being said, I also believe that McCloughan and company would be very foolish to hand a quarterback with limited experience a contract that pays upwards of $19 million annually.
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If Cousins comes out in 2016 and posts similar or better numbers than he did during Washington’s 2015 campaign, then reward him with such a contract. But to do so after one strong year, in my opinion, would not be a responsible move. Having the ability to learn more about his strengths and weaknesses is key, and it’s something that McCloughan and the Redskins will have the opportunity to do with him being tagged for the year.