As You Watch Kirk Cousins Take a Beating, Remember, This is How the Redskins Screwed Up His Negotiations

One of my first thoughts while watching Kirk Cousins get obliterated in Week 1 behind a shaky offensive line: If this pounding continues and the losses mount, how’s this going to impact 1) Washington’s offer to him (another franchise tag?) and 2) Just how much of a max offer San Francisco or whomever signs him will make?

And then this story popped up about just how bad Washington bungled its offseason trade negotiations with their star QB:

"Washington made this offer [5-years, $110 million, $53 million fully guaranteed] to Cousins in May. Then, Allen met with Cousins’ agent, Mike McCartney, for drinks in Chicago. Later, Allen flew out to meet with Cousins and his father in a very positive meeting that lasted more than four hours. Following the meeting, Allen said the team would be making another offer to Cousins before the July 17 deadline. What did Cousins receive in July? Literally an identical offer as the team made him in May."

How on earth do you come back with the same offer two months later? Keep in mind, In June, Derek Carr got a 5-year, $125 million extension ($70 million guaranteed). Then Andrew Luck signed the richest QB deal in  NFL history, with $87 million guaranteed.

Cousins isn’t on Luck’s level, but he’s been brilliant for two seasons, which is how long Carr has been good. Quarterbacks are difficult to come by in the NFL, and if you want to try and dispute that, go look at what happened in Week 1.

There’s no way around this: If Washington wants to keep Cousins, they’ll have to pay him over $30 million next year. Good luck building a team around that. The alternative? Colt McCoy.