John Matthews
ASHBURN, VA – (WMAL) Kirk Cousins just got a 3000 percent pay raise over what he earned for the 2015 season. You like that, Kirk?
The Redskins on Tuesday exercised their option to apply a non-exclusive franchise tag on Cousins, all but ensuring that the free agent quarterback will be back in Burgundy and Gold in 2016.
The franchise tag is a device that NFL teams can use just once per season on one player. The tag is designed to allow teams to lock up a highly-desired player in exchange for a premium in pay under a formula that is set up on the NFL’s contract with the player’s union.
In Cousins’ case, the one-year offer is $19.95 million dollars, which will make him the 9th highest paid quarterback in the game.
The “non-exclusive” tag still allows Cousins to negotiate with other teams, however the Redskins would have the right to match any offer, and if they declined to match would receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. Under that scenario, it’s highly unlikely another team would be interest in Cousins.
“I think it’s a good deal,” says former Redskin and WMAL NFL analyst Trevor Matich. “I don’t know that another team would want to give up two first round draft choices for Cousins just because Cousins had one great year,” he adds.
Even with the tag in place, both Cousins and the Redskins say they will continue to work on reaching a long-term deal that would keep Cousins in Washington for several more years. If the two sides cannot reach agreement on a contract by July 15th, Cousins will have to play the single season under the tag contract, a scenario that Cousins says he’d be fine with.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Washington Redskins)
