The San Francisco 49ers were widely considered the favorite for Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins if he hit free agency. This trade changes that.
Since Kyle Shanahan was named San Francisco head coach in February, we’ve all heard how it’s only a matter of time before Kirk Cousins leaves the Washington Redskins and joins his former offensive coordinator. Well, that narrative is no more as on Monday night the 49ers pulled off a huge trade with New England Patriots that saw Jimmy Garoppolo coming to The Bay Area for a 2018 second-round pick.
This is a huge trade for so many reasons, as it affects multiple teams. The first question that comes to mind is what in the world are the Cleveland Browns thinking? Flush with numerous high picks, the Browns, who reportedly coveted Garoppolo, watch as he goes for a mere second-round pick. A second-round pick for a potential franchise quarterback is robbery.
So, with Garoppolo joining Shanahan in San Francisco, where does that leave Cousins? This is where things get interesting.
The things Cousins craves most is repetition and familiarity. With the outstanding play of Jared Goff in Los Angeles, Cousins will not be playing for either of his two former offensive coordinators in Shanahan or Sean McVay. That’s why Washington owner Daniel Snyder and team president Bruce Allen are smiling.
Snyder did not want to trade his quarterback to the 49ers. He would literally do anything to keep Shanahan from getting Cousins. Now, that worry is eliminated. Does that mean Snyder does the best job he can of wooing Cousins the remainder of this season and showing him why Washington is the right place for him? Or does Snyder simply allow him to walk? Don’t look for that option. If the Redskins let Cousins walk without a sincere attempt to keep him, it would cause a mutiny in an already fractured fan base.
Instead, expect Cousins to reevaluate his future after this news. The market will still be strong for Cousins in the offseason as so many teams need a quarterback. However, his top option is no more. Jacksonville or Denver could be nice alternatives for Cousins, but there’s no familiarity in either place. In Washington, he has a group of teammates and coaches he likes, a strong offensive — when it gets healthy — and numerous talented players on both sides of the ball.
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The Redskins should use the rest of this offseason to make nice with their quarterback. Cousins should make good on his promise to want to play his entire career in one place. It’s true that the criticism Cousins receives from Washington fans is unwarranted, but that’s going to happen in any city during this age of social media.
The offseason is still a long way away but on Monday night one move shook the entire NFL and will have a ripple effect on multiple teams and players.