Kirk Cousins was listed as our lone Tier 1 free agent quarterback, and after being slapped with the franchise tag by the Redskins for the second year in a row, he will not be able to test free agency for the first time.
https://twitter.com/MikeMcCartney7/status/836643050529112068
The Redskins placed the tag on Cousins following the 2015 season and in 2016, he responded by completing 67-percent of his passes for 4,917 yards and 25 touchdowns.
It was previously reported that he would only accept a trade to the 49ers to be reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, which would be a ‘tag-and-trade’ situation (same as the Panthers did with Josh Norman last season). Shanahan pleaded with the Redskins’ brass to select Kirk Cousins out of Michigan State in the fourth round in 2012, even though they sent a king’s ransom to the St. Louis Rams to move up to No. 2 to select Robert Griffin III. If Cousins is traded, the 49ers would likely sign him long-term.
If the Redskins ultimately decide to hang onto Cousins and not extend him, he would make $23.94 million for one season under the franchise tag. If the ‘Skins are unable to sign him long-term following the 2017 season, they would be forced to tag him for 34 million in 2018, or let him walk for nothing. They have really screwed this up.
Kirk Cousins has been a viable fantasy quarterback since he took over full-time from RGIII in 2015, accumulating 54 touchdown passes and 9,083 yards in only two full seasons. Cousins finished as the 6th best fantasy quarterback in 2016, with 300.28 fantasy points. With DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon both set to hit free agency, Cousin took a slight fall in our 2017 quarterback rankings, coming in at No. 9.
